Derpy and the Pegasi Express Race

by TheReaderAndWriter

First published 16th of December, 2017

Derpy has to complete a race across Equestria to save her job as a mailmare. Things go wrong.

To celebrate the day of Manehattan's founding 400 years ago, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna organize the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race, a race where ponies and beings from all over Equestria and beyond come together to compete in the longest race in the land's history. It celebrates the pegasi who would traverse the then harsh landscape of the kingdom to deliver the mail between Vanhoover in the west, and Manehattan in the east, a route that inspired the modern railways. Everyone may compete, but not all will be victorious.

A young mailmare by the name of Derpy Hooves find herself participating in the race in order to save something she holds dear, but she has no idea what the adventure will bring.

On The Job

It was a warm summer's day, possibly the most pleasant afternoon in recent memory. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the light breeze gently flowed through Derpy's mane as she flew just above the roofs of Ponyville.

Her life as a mailmare could have been described as boring by any other pony, but not by her. She absolutely adored it! Sure, there was a bit of a routine, and by this point in her career she had visited every place in town, but all the ponies she met everyday would have made it the best job in the world by default. The fact she got to deliver letters and packages daily, the perfect excuse for a visit, always brought a smile to her face.

Speaking of which, a certain envelope securely tucked away inside her mailbag was itching to reach its owner that was flying just above. The gray mare ascended, perhaps not with great elegance or finesse, but she shortly bumped right into a certain rainbow-maned pegasi.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash! I've got a letter for you!" said Derpy, quickly reaching into her bag. She didn't even have to look at it to know it was important. Just the envelope had a density 22% higher than your run-of-the-mill paper, with a very specific texture. Heavy when compared to other letters, yet clearly only containing a single page, two thin ones at the most, pointing towards a very specific and old ink being used, written by hoof. The shape was not conforming to any of the modern standards.

"Oh sweet! Nopony ever writes to me," said Rainbow Dash.

"Happy to be of service!" said Derpy, before turning around.

"Thanks, Derpy! Stay cool!" said Rainbow Dash.

Derpy was just about to fly down, but suddenly the a scream broke the stillness of the town.

"NO WAY!" said Rainbow Dash.

"What?! What!?" said Derpy, "Did I give out the wrong mail again?! It's not my fault, the sorting system is ancient!"

Rainbow Dash looked over to her. "What? No, don't worry! This is awesome! Come check this out!"

While Derpy never, ever, ever, ever snooped through anything that was to be delivered, she was often curious. It wasn't unusual for her to daydream of delivering something life-changing or fantastical. When she was invited to take a look, she certainly wouldn't say no.

"What is it, Rainbow Dash?" asked Derpy, flying closer.

Barely able to contain the excitement in her voice, Rainbow Dash started to read. "'Dear, Rainbow Dash. It is with pride and joy that I, as your commanding officer and friend, hereby elect you to be one of the chosen few to officially represent the Wonderbolts in the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race, or P.E.E.R. Congratulations, I know you will make us all proud. Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.'"

"That's so exciting!" said Derpy. "What's the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race?"

"No idea!" said Rainbow Dash. Curious, she peeked into the envelope.. "Okay, let's see. There's like a pamphlet or something." She pulled out another piece of paper, unfolded it, and started to read. 'Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria has declared that this year, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Manehattan's founding, a great race shall be held in honor of the Pegasi Equestrian Express." She looked up at Derpy, confused. "There's some information about applying for the race, but nothing else. What the hay is the Pegasi Equestrian Express?"

Derpy had no idea. The name did sound vaguely familiar, and she was too curious to just let it go. "Well, do you know someone who would know?"

***

"The Pegasi Equestrian Express, also simply known as the Pegasi Express, was an institution in the early days of the expansion of Equestria," said Twilight Sparkle, clearly reciting a text from memory. "During the decades of ponies expanding the borders outwards towards the coasts, the Pegasi Equestrian Express was founded in order to deliver important messages to and from Canterlot. Their routes went all the way from Manehattan to what would one day become Vanhoover. While their services didn't last for more than a few short years, they were pivotal for establishing infrastructure and continuing communication between the cities. They could deliver letters, and even packages, in under two weeks. If I'm not mistaken, the record for fastest crossing of Equestria is still held by such a pegasus."

They were in Twilight's personal library. Derpy was listening to every word, fascinated by the history of her own profession, while Rainbow Dash had mostly just been bored, but she did perk up during the last detail.

"What's the record?" she asked.

Twilight started to look around her desk, searching among several dozen books. "I think it was: from Vanhoover to Manehattan, 11 days and 2 hours."

Rainbow Dash gave a low whistle. "Not bad at all, but I'm sure I could beat it."

"Oh wait," said Twilight, having found the right book. "I was mistaken. It was 8 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes.

Rainbow Dash did not whistle this time, in fact she didn't seem able to speak at all.

"That's amazing!" said Derpy.

"As I said, they were pivotal; speed was of the essence," said Twilight. "Did you know, that most railways today were built based on the routes chosen by the pegasi of their organization? It's true! This was such a good idea by the princesses, don't you think?"

"Well, I'm sure it's going to be fun. And it's pretty soon, apparently. Barely even a week from now... I'm going to need to prepare."

"Spitfire must have taken her time making sure you were a good pick," said Twilight.

"Yeah, I- wait, how do you know that?" asked Rainbow.

"I've helped organize the entire event! I didn't want to spoil the surprise for you!" said Twilight, excited, giddy even. "I can't wait to see you race. Anyway, the race will start in Vanhoover and finish in Manehattan, and of course anyone can apply to compete."

"Hey, Twilight, can you show me the routes?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight took out a map. "Sure, it's public knowledge anyway; it's encouraged to plan ahead for potential wind currents and such, just like the pegasi of yore had to. You're going to have to be careful, as you'll even be delivering packages!"

Derpy found it all to be fascinating, but she had more important things to do. She only had to accidentally glance at the clock to realize she was running late. While Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were occupied discussing optimal flight paths and proper marathon flying techniques, Derpy tried, emphasis on tried, slinking out quietly. A loud crash and a sincere "Sorry!" was all it took for them to look up.

***

Sure, it probably wouldn't be a disaster if Derpy was late, but her boss would not be happy, and nopony wanted to get on her bad side.

What followed directly after leaving Twilight's castle was a regular day on the job, but significantly faster. Letter after letter after letter, all day. It was with a friendly wave that Derpy said goodbye to her last delivery of the day. All that remained was one last job: picking up a package to then send off to Cloudsdale International Shipping."

Soaring over Ponyville, seeing the sun starting to set over the horizon, she eventually found her way to the train station. A single pony, a cyan earth-pony stallion with a blue mane, wearing a cap, standing next to a large pile of packages, spotted her. He did not look happy.

"Sorry I'm late! How can I help you?" asked Derpy.

"It's about time you showed up! I've been waiting for almost 20 minutes!" said the pony, quite loudly, with a Manehattan accent.

Derpy made sure to smile, a happy outlook made for a happy mood! "It's been a very busy day, but I'm here now! How can I help you?"

He glared at her, stepped aside and gestured at the boxes. "Get started."

"Sure thing, sir! Which package am I here to pick up?" asked Derpy.

"All of them."

Derpy had to stop. Hesitant, she took out the slip for this particular order. "But, sir, according to this you've-"

"Are you going to shut up and get started? I don't got all day!"

"Sir, we've only been paid for a single package delivery of at most 2 cubic feet. Just to clarify and make sure there hasn't been a misunderstanding, you are Mr. Ocean Breeze, correct?"

"Yes, and I've paid!" said the stallion.

"Yes, but sir, only for one package. Is there a possibility that you, or the company potentially hiring you, might have made a mistake?" Standard procedure in situation like this: get to the bottom of the problem.

The pony immediately made a grimace like she had just spit on his mother's grave, barely contained rage. "DO WHAT I PAID FOR! Am I'm going to have to call your manager?!"

For the first time that day, in fact for that entire month, Derpy's smile vanished. She tried to not look meek, speaking calmly and politely. "Sir. If there is a problem, I'm sure a quick trip to the postal office will sort things out. Do you know where it is? S- should I escort you?"

"You're damn right I know where it is, but I can't leave my packages! Are you trying to rob me!?"

Derpy twitched, tried to not change her expression, despite being nervous. This wasn't the first time a difficult unreasonable customer was bothering her, and she was sure they could figure things out. "Sir, you-"

"I'M GOING TO SPEAK WITH YOUR MANAGER!"

"Very well then," said a new voice. A tall earth-pony, with an brown coat and blood red mane calmly stepped out from behind the packages. She was wearing the same mailmare uniform as Derpy was, including the traditional cap. Despite their uniforms being exactly the same, she wore hers like a captain of the royal guard wore their armor. Strict, prim, proper: it was Derpy's boss, the big mare herself. "I'm Postal Service, her 'manager', so to speak. Is there a problem, sir?"

Derpy almost shivered; there was something in that tone of voice that had seemed more appropriate for a death treat, she was just glad it hadn't been spoken in her direction.

"A- about time someone came to help! This mare has only been trouble."

"In what way, exactly?" asked Postal Service. "Please, elaborate."

"I've paid for you to deliver my packages, and you won't!"

Postal Service didn't answer him. She merely glanced over to the packages, looking at addresses and all kinds of stamps. "Sir, I know for a fact you understood the transaction and the limit to our services when you signed for it. Seems to me you're desperate to pay as little as possible. Are you trying to rip us off?"

"How DARE you-!"

"Packages all the way from Griffonstone and further beyond... and an earth pony from the eastern seaboard. Worrying about having to pay any big bills?"

Just like that, the pony shut up and shut down. He looked at Postal Service like she had become a manticore, or since he looked frozen to his core, a cockatrice.

"At this point we have four options: you can either pay the amount you are supposed to pay, we can provide the service you actually paid for, we can be gracious and refund you right here and now... or I can call the guards. If my suspicions are correct, I think you'll come to your senses."

The pony stammered, but eventually lowered his head so far he almost kissed the ground. "I will pay the full amount. Please, please take these to the shipping company."

"I'm guessing you don't have much time to spare. Very well. But first, apologize to this fine mailmare."

Ocean Breeze turned to look at Derpy. "I'm awfully sorry, Miss. I've- I've had a bad day. That's no excuse, I'm sorry."

"It's- it's fine," said Derpy.

Postal Service didn't smile, but she looked content. "About time we're getting somewhere." Giving a sharp whistle, enough to hurt their ears, was all it took to summon almost half of the postal workers in town from just around the corner. "You know what to do."

Just like that, all of Derpy's coworkers started to work, busy like bees, carrying packages away from the station. Derpy was just about to join them, earn her keep, but Postal Service stepped in front of her. "Wait a minute, Muffins. I need to talk to you."

"Miss Postal Service, you can call me Derpy, all my friends do!" said Derpy.

"I am not your friend. I'm your boss."

"Well, alright, but you can always be my friend if you want to be. What do you want to talk about?"

Postal Service nodded towards the end of the platform. "Let's get some privacy."

"Sure."

They walked away, and Postal Service turned to her. "Muffins, you handled yourself admirably, stayed patient and professional: exactly what that uniform demands in a fine institution, and we need ponies like you to uphold that standard."

"An institution, like the Pegasi Express!"

"Well, yes, exactly, I guess you've read the paper this morning about the race."

Sure, not exactly, but Derpy didn't correct her. Ponies claimed differently, but she was convinced the term 'going postal', was named after the mare in front of her, and she was not about to find out if that was true.

"You've worked as a mailmare almost as long as I have, and you've always come into the office every morning with a smile; I admire your spirit. You also handled that stallion very well, don't let anyone tell you differently."

Derpy was taken aback. "Thank, you, Miss!"

"And for completely different reasons, you're fired."

***

"Please, have you seen Derpy?!" asked a brown earth-pony with a scruffy dark mane. Time Turner was at Sugarcube Corner, talking directly to Mr Cake polishing a sundae glass cup. It was late at night, and usually the store would have been closed at this hour, something that had aroused his suspicions.

"Sure, she's sitting right over there," said Mr Cake, giving a gentle nod towards the corner. Right over in the corner, at a lonely lit table, was Derpy, with her head lying on the side, starring at a melted and untouched root beer float. "I just can't find it in my heart to ask her to leave. The poor thing."

"Thank you. Please, you can close. I'll talk to her and take her home," said Time Turner, then he walked over to her table and sat down.

"Hey there, dear friend. I've heard about what happened. While the time to grieve is not over, I think it might be time to start talking about the pain."

She barely seemed to have noticed his presence, just a glance and that could have been an accident. Time Turned didn't want the conversation to be one-sided. He waited patiently for her to talk.

She eventually just sighed, still with her eyes on the creamy brown glass. "Doc, I... I just don't know what went wrong. I thought I was doing a good job."

"I thought so too," said Time Turner.

Mr. Cake came over without a word and put down two glasses of root beer floats, with delicious home made vanilla ice cream, and the most delectable whipped cream. He didn't dare to take the old glass away from her, not wanting to bother her. Then, so quietly Time Turner could have missed him entirely, Mr. Cake left.

"Well, what did Postal Service say? She must have had a reason, she's strict but not unfair. Did any letters get lost?"

"No."

"Did you break any deliveries?"

"No."

"Did you give out the wrong mail again?"

"Yes, but it's the sorting system's fault, and Postal knows that. And most ponies knows to check first by now. That's not it."

"Then why? I don't understand."

"Public destruction, slow daily delivery and according to the higher ups it's not acceptable to fraternize with our customers during work hours, at least not as much as I do."

"That's absurd, Postal couldn't possibly-"

"She didn't want to, but she also didn't have a choice. Either she fired me, or someone would come to inspect if the Ponyville post office was really necessary. It's not. Considering it's less than half a day to Canterlot by train, and the train to both Appleloosa and Las Pegasus goes through town... Our job could easily be done by a single pony in a storefront built into the station."

"But-"

"All ponies in Ponyville would have to walk all the way to the train station every day. The elderly wouldn't get their mail, and everyone at- at work would get fired and break apart. I can't do that to them! And the standardized sorting and delivery system for a train post office is a nightmare, both for the one working there and anypony who wants to pick up a package bigger than an apple."

"Surely the, um, 'charges' weren't that grim," said Time Turner softly.

"Ninety-seven broken roof tiles, twenty-eight broken windows, thirteen cases of civilian trauma and one attempted regicide/deicide/genocide/omnicide."

"Wait, what?"

"Apparently that's what they call it if you accidentally bump into Princess Celestia."

"So that's why we got that weird restraining-order."

Derpy sighed again, finally lifting her head off the table to look into his eyes. "Doc, I don't know what to do. I feel like my life is over." Time Turner truly felt her pain, but he was happy to see her finally take a sip of her float; perhaps the sugar would give her a little energy to help dealing with the problem?

Doc shook his head. "No, no, no, Derpy, it's not that bad."

"Well, what is Dinky going to think of me? I'll just be a huge failure to her."

Time Turner immediately stood up, almost knocking his chair over. "Great galloping geldings, Derpy! I know this is awful, but you know as well as I do that Dinky adores you!" He quickly regained his composure, straightening his tie. "I too admire you, so instead of wallowing in misery, I am absolutely sure you can get out of this slump, and it will be easy with the help of your friends."

Derpy looked up from her float. "Do you really think so?"

"Absolutely! You are strong!"

She nodded meekly. "Yeah."

"You are capable!"

She started to smile. "Yeah!"

"You can do anything you set your mind to! There are limitless possibilities ahead of you!"

She was excited! "Yeah!"

Time Turner pointed towards her. "Now," he said, then made a grand sweeping gesture towards the infinite possibilities of the universe! "Tell me what you want!"

She stood up, tall and proud, wings stretched and took a deep breath. "I want my old job back!"

Time Turner needed a big gulp of root beer. "I was thinking something a bit more adventurous, but I guess we need to start somewhere."

"The only question is how," said Derpy.

"Had I been a more morally ambiguous stallion, I might have suggested bribery."

"If I'm going to get my job back, all I know is that the first step is asking!" Derpy quickly drank the rest of her float, put the glass down on the table and headed for the door. "I'm not even going to wait until tomorrow. I'm going to get my job back tonight!"

"But, Derpy, it's very cloudy out, and it's dark, shouldn't you go home and-"

But Derpy was already out the door. Time Turned sat down, leaning towards the back of his chair. He ate some of the ice cream. All he could do was silently wish her good luck. If any pony deserved happiness, surely it was her.

***

Derpy flew as fast as she could over Ponyville, intending to fly straight towards Postal Service's home. With the wind under her wings, she felt like she was leaving her troubles behind, more free and energetic. She was hopeful; maybe, just maybe, she could fix this mess, it wasn't impossible.

The first problem was figuring out where in the world Postal Service was actually living, as Derpy had never delivered letters to her. It would be difficult to find anything in the dark.

Fortunately, her first problem became moot with her second problem: Derpy flew straight into a tree at full speed. Everything went from dark to... well, dark.

But good news! When she woke up in the hospital bed the next morning, Postal Service was standing right there. She was dressed in her standard uniform, and carried a mailbag. It was quite a surprise, as she almost never delivered mail personally.

"This is exactly the kind of reason you were fired, Muffins. You get an idea in your head, you don't think it through, and you give it your all before everything falls apart."

"Good morning!" said Derpy with cheer. Through the window one could see it was actually raining outside, and she ached all over. Her wings in particular felt terrible, but it was no time to dwell on her injuries. This was her chance!

"Yes, good morning. The only reason I'm here is because your friend said you wanted to talk to me about something. I have an inkling-"

"Miss Postal Service, I would like to ask to have my job back," said Derpy with a kind smile.

"No."

"Dang." No, Doc is right, I can do anything! I can't just give up now! she thought. "Well, Miss Postal Service, I know things aren't looking good, but there's got to be something I can do. Please don't take this away from me. I love being a delivery mare."

"Muffins, you almost broke your neck just to talk to me. Even if I somehow could convince those old ponies in Canterlot to overlook the property damage, past and future, it doesn't change the fact that they, and I, are convinced that your clumsiness is one day going to break an important letter or package."

"What's that supposed to mean? They are all important," said Derpy with a determined expression.

Postal Service didn't say anything, but gave her a subtle nod of approval.

Derpy continued, proudly. "I have never broken a delivery in my life!"

"I know, but how long is that going to last? Nothing you can say is going to convince them. They are just being cautious, as they should, and I'm just trying to protect our place in Ponyville. Equestria's post system is the best one in the world, and they take it very seriously, as do I."

Derpy looked down on the bed, and then out the window. Was this it? Was this really the end of Muffin Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo O'Sullivan Hooves, the mailmare? She just couldn't fathom it; the very thought was beyond her. "It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the pegasi that soar above the road, each at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed."

"Horsedotus," said Postal Service. "I know that quote, but why are you saying it now?"

"Because just like the pegasi couriers of old, I refuse to give up. The problem is that they don't think I can safely and quickly deliver things, even in a safe place like Ponyville, right?"

"That is the fundamental problem, yes."

"If I can't say anything to change all of your minds, I'm just going to have to do it instead! Postal Service, listen! I'm going to enter the Pegasi Express Race and finish the delivery completely unharmed!"

"Muffins, your wings are damaged. They need time to heal. You'll never be able to fly in time for the actual event."

"I don't care! Postal Service, if I enter and finish that race in less than two weeks, will you give me my job back?" asked Derpy, too determined to notice the ache in her wings.

Unknown whether it was because she wanted to give Derpy some hope, expected her to fail or just realized she wouldn't stop asking and just wanted it to stop, Postal Service made a decision. She sighed with a heavy heart.

"If you can finish it in under twelve days, I will at least inform my superiors and request them to reconsider and let me employ you again. I promise you I will do everything I can if you do, but I will not guarantee you'll get your job back."

"That's good enough for me!" said Derpy. She reached out her hoof, and while Postal Service rolled her eyes, she did bump her own hoof against it.

Derpy realized she might have bit off more than she could chew when the hoof bump created a sharp stabbing pain in her left wing.

"Good luck, you're going to need it."

The Mailmare of Silly Runs

Pegasi were not known to harness and direct magic like unicorns could, but they still inherently used it during flight, it was part of what fueled them, what gave them strength in the air unmatched by almost no other race. It wasn't what allowed them to fly, but it did allow them to thrive. To see a pegasus soar through the skies was to see a miracle.

Unfortunately, no miracle was going to help Derpy fly faster than a butterfly.

For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Derpy flapped her wings, lifted herself off the ground, hovered for almost half a minute, but then promptly fell back down. With some bandages, medicine and even potions from Rainbow Dash's friend Zecora, the worst of the injuries had passed. But, staying in the air too long was borderline impossible.

A few days had passed, but the unfortunate truth was that Derpy would not be able to fly normally until after the race.

She refused to accept that. She gritted her teeth, started to flap her wings, and promptly got in the air one more time. She had never been so focused on a goal in her life, never felt this determination. Then she promptly fell down... again, but certainly not for the last time.

"Derpy, please, you're going to hurt yourself again if you keep up this foolishness," said Time Turner, trotting over to hand her a bottle of water. It was a hot day, all the nice shaded spots in the park were occupied. A lot of ponies were giving them some odd looks, and while she had to keep going, she did feel self-conscious.

"Doc, I know how it's like to get knocked down, but nothing is going to keep me down forever," said Derpy.

Time Turner couldn't help but to roll his eyes. "Anyway, I'm not sure I understand why you can't stay in the air. I mean, what is missing from this mechanism? You are flapping, aren't you?"

"Staying in the air is more than just flapping," said Derpy, easily flexing her wings to demonstrate. "The problem is my balance. I can't- I can't make those tiny little changes! I cramp up, and I spin out of control! I need to learn how to control myself! If I can do that, then I'll be able to fly again."

"Derpy, I don't usually say this, but it's time to start thinking outside the box," said Time Turner while Derpy took a sip from the bottle. "This is not going to work. I'm not a pegasus, at least I'd say it's rare for me to be one, but isn't there any other way for you to finish the race?" He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Take the train, perchance?"

"No, the rules say you have to travel without relying on transportation. Well, I guess you can, but anything that travels faster than the average speed of a pegasus in flight will get you disqualified."

"How will they know?" asked Time Turner.

"I don't know, I guess they will use magic or something, but to me it doesn't matter what they do," said Derpy and turned to him. "You know why? Because I'm not going to cheat, Doc! I'm going to finish the race fair and square."

Time Turned just sat down on the ground, not sure what to do.

"Is that Muffins? What is she doing?" asked a mare passing by.

"I heard she got fired, lost her mind, or got brain damage," whispered her friend.

"How could one tell? Well, maybe we'll get our mail on time now," said mare.

Time Turner immediately got up and chased them away. "Terrible Trotting Tarts! Get out of here, and stop being one-dimensional sources of grief!" They quickly retreated.

"It's okay, Doc, I've heard a lot worse."

"Seriously, it's like we're back in school. Does nopony mature in this confounded town?" asked Time Turner.

Derpy got back to flapping her wings, one more try, one more of many if necessary.

***

No matter how many times Derpy got in the air, it wasn't for long. Eventually the sun had set. It had been hours since Time Turner had gone home; no matter how supportive he could be, he did have his own life and problems to deal with. He wished her luck, then left the park.

Derpy was exhausted, absolutely exhausted, and thirsty, and starving.

All alone, she eventually couldn't deal with the constant failure, so she decided to call it a day. With some food, a shower and plenty of rest she almost figured she could do it tomorrow... but she couldn't even convince herself anymore. Time Turner had been right: it was time to think outside of the box.

During her trip home, she considered all of her options. If she couldn't stay in the air, could she run? There was no actual rule against finishing the race without flying. But, the biggest problem was stamina. An earth pony could have done it, assuming it was an athlete, but a pegasi wouldn't last for that long. Ponies like her were simply built to flap their wings more than moving their legs.

Even if she miraculously healed in time for the race, there was also the issue whether she was quick and capable enough to actually finish the race on time. She was sure her normal self could fly that distance in a passable time, but it was more than just speed: she had never flown that far before. There was no guarantee she wouldn't get lost if the weather was bad, or that she wouldn't glide on air currents that led her astray. Part of The Pegasi Express Race was finding a good route without any of those incredible high-altitude winds that would have blown an earth pony off her hooves. The difference between a good route and a bad one could be days, and those routes could have been a stone's throw away from each other. Perhaps she could find someone exceptional, like Rainbow Dash, and glide on the current behind her, saving a lot of energy... but there the problem was again: she'd need to actually get that high up first.

She couldn't run, and she couldn't fly, so what then?

"Think, Derpy, think. You're a mailmare, so what would a mailmare do?" she asked herself. "Well, find a way and deliver."

She stopped and sat down on a nearby bench, looking down at her hooves.

"Can't fly, can't run... can't fly... can't run." She put her hooves to her forehead and lied down on her back. "Fly... run... fly... run..." she perked up, sat up, stood up. Experimenting, hoping for inspiration, she flapped her wings once. All she managed to do was blow away some dust. Bracing herself, she flapped again, as hard as she could.

Without much control, she shot several feet up into the air before falling back down.

"Hm... maybe I have something here."

She ran home, it was time to prepare for tomorrow. If her idea worked, she would need a lot of time to practice. The race wasn't too far away, but with her idea, there was a chance.

Just a few minutes later, she arrived at her front door, opened it, and suddenly a tiny little purple unicorn filly launched into her embrace. "Mom's home!"

"Hi, sweetie! How was school?"

"It was so much fun! They talked all about the race, Manehattan and the Pegasi Express!" said Dinky.

"Good evening, Derpy, I suppose I'm to welcome you home," said Time Turner, walking into the hall straight from the kitchen.

"Doc, what are you doing here?" asked Derpy, surprised, but not unhappy.

"Just checking in on Dinky. I sent the babysitter home, and I also made dinner. You must be starving."

"So much, Doc! That's so kind of you," said Derpy. "Thank you!"

***

Just a few short moments later, Derpy had finished enjoying a delicious vegetable stew, along with some homemade bread. They say together in the small kitchen, Dinky diligently cleared the table as Time Turner leaned in.

"So, any progress?" he said. While Derpy appreciated him being supportive, she couldn't help but to notice a subtle tone of doubt.

"Yes, actually," said Derpy.

"Oh good!" said Dinky. "Because all the ponies at school say there is no way in tartarus you're going to finish the race. They called me a liar when I said you would."

"Well I'm going to show them, just you wait!" said Derpy.

Time Turner had to keep from cocking his head in confusion, like a dog, at her confidence. "Is that a fact, dearest Derpy? If so, could you perhaps show me?"

Derpy didn't say anything, didn't waste time, she just grabbed hold of him with her wings and dragged him outside into the night. "You just wait here," said Derpy, before she galloped down the road for several seconds, before turning around.

"Okay, you can do this," she said to herself, trying to overcome any doubts.

"She can do this," said Dinky over by their house, confident.

"Please, you can do this," whispered Time Turner, almost pleadingly.

Derpy took a deep breath, and then started to flap her wings, gently. Bit by bit, she increased her speed and force. Eventually, her front hooves achieved lift. She never fully got off the ground, though.

"Okay, this can work," she said. Then, very carefully, she leaned forward, and started to direct the flapping to give her forward momentum. Holding her front hooves up, she started to walk on her hind legs, and flap faster, and walk faster, and flap even faster! Eventually, she was almost sprinting over the ground, sometimes jumping and almost gliding. She was fast enough! She was doing it! She was heading straight for that tree.

"Oh no!"

Crash!

"Derpy!" said Time Turner, running over to her.

Lying on her back, dizzy and unfocused, she shot her hooves up in the air with a great big smile. "See! That's how you do it!"

***

"But, Derpy, how is this different from just running the race?"

"Because, as a pegasus, I can flap my wings super long without getting tired. Just like how pegasi can drag carts in the air, I'm sort of holding myself up. If I do it like this, and if I can just find the right balance, I can run very quickly on the ground, and still save a lot of stamina. If my wings get tired I can use my legs more, and if my legs get tired I just flap harder with my wings. Come on, Doc, this has to work!"

Time Turner scratched his chin, and then his mane. "Well, I do admit you were quite quick. Quicker than I expected, at least."

"You looked so silly, mom! This is going to be the best race ever!"

"Well, yes, you also looked absolutely ridiculous," said Time Turner. "But, that's to be expected. You need more practice, clearly. We've got a few days left, so maybe we can make it in that time, but if we're to take the train we don't have too long. Is there any downsides to this strange way to run, or fly, or whatever this is?"

"Well, I guess that I can't take the quickest way, and I need to think about terrain a lot. But, at least I don't need to worry about getting blown off course."

Time Turner seemed to think about it, and then eventually stood up. "In any case, it's getting late. I have some calculations to do and you need plenty of rest."

"And Dinky," said Derpy, turning to her. "Bedtime."

"Aw! But mom!"

"No buts! You have school tomorrow, and you're going to need rest for when we all travel to Vanhoover!"

Dinky's face lit up like the morning sun. "I get to go with you?!"

"You're going to see me off in Vanhoover, and you're going to be there to greet me in Manehattan!"

"Riveting racing rascals! A cross-equestrian trip for all of us! Splendid!" Time Turner gave them both a friendly hug goodbye, and with new energy he bolted out the door.

"This is going to be so much fun!" said Dinky.

After brushing their teeth, they turned off the lights and went straight to bed. After such a long rough day, Derpy's bed felt almost like it was made out of cotton candy. Finally some time to relax, and she suspected it was going to be her last for quite some time.

All she knew was that there was real hope again. Dinky was right, it was going to be fun.

Starting Line

"There it is, Dinky! Vanhoover!" said Time Turner as the train finally rounded the mountainside.

A large city stretched out before them, just next to the great ocean. The buildings were so grand and tightly clustered together. There was not a single typical piece of pony architechture, nothing like Ponyville or Canterlot. It was mostly well-built practical brickwork, a white, brown and red city against the blue of the sky and sea.

"Wow!" said Dinky and Derpy. They were all peeking out the open window.

Time Turner had such energy, almost like he was born to be a tour-guide. "A population of almost a quarter million ponies, and even griffons, hippogriffs, buffalo, changelings, yaks and even one or two dragons! Vanhoover is what embodies our kingdom's wonderful ideals of friendship and unity across all cultures! While Canterlot is the heart of Equestria, I would dare say that Vanhoover is its soul!"

"Where are we going to go first?!" asked Dinky.

"Unfortunately, your mother need to register and prepare for the race. It will start in just a few hours, straight at noon."

"Aw!"

"It's okay, sweetie, we'll visit again."

"Don't you worry, Dinky, we're going to wave her goodbye, and then you and I are going to see every amazing sight in the entire city. Then, when you come back here, you can show her around yourself!"

"Where are we going now, then?" asked Dinky.

"Straight to town hall for finishing the registration and everything, then the race will begin right outside in the town park," said Time Turner.

Dinky was excited, but Derpy was getting more and more nervous. Would there be any problems? Could her weird wing sprint actually take her all the way? So many things could go wrong.

"Now, Derpy," said Time Turner. "I spent these past few days preparing. I have reviewed all the information, and accumulated it into this folder. There's maps for optimal paths, as well as routes you need to avoid at all costs. Since you're going to spend all your time at ground level, you are open for far more dangers. Mostly trees."

"Alright, Doc!" said Derpy and took the folder.

"If you have any doubts, just take a look. There are also some tips for survival, making camps, preparing food and water in the wilds, just to be sure."

"Do you really think I'll need to?" asked Derpy.

"No, there are checkpoints where you'll be able to rest, eat and spend the nights, but I just mean in case you get lost. You don't know many landmarks around Equestria, after all. I've learned from experience that it pays to be prepared."

***

Once they entered Vanhoover, it didn't take long for them to find town hall. While the streets had been incredibly crowded compared to Ponyville, the park was so much worse. Both the ground and air was packed to the brim with pegasi and basically anything else that could fly. Derpy noticed that there was a surprising amount of griffons. Many were speaking to each other, and it was hard to not overhear.

"Oh yeah, absolutely," she heard a female griffon say. "I was planning on visit Griffonstone anyway, heard they really turned that place around. It just seemed like a good idea."

"Well," said a pegasus stallion. "Since the Wonderbolts have shown interest in this race, I thought it be a great idea to participate. Who knows? Get a good enough time and this could be a huge boost in my favor to join the academy!"

"Are you doing the lower tier?" asked the griffon.

"Nope, I'm going to go all out. All the way to Manehattan. Will be the first time I see it. Very excited!"

None of the contestants had any uniform or number, but Derpy did notice that they all carried the same one strap backpack with random color being the only difference.

"Mom, why are there so many non-pegasi in the Pegasi Express race?"

Time Turner chipped in, with the enthusiasm that Derpy loved about him. "Because, nothing should stand in the way of friendly competition. This race is for everyone, my dear Dinky."

Derpy realized it was better to not have Time Turner and Dinky deal with the crowds, so they said goodbye. "I'll see you from the starting line!" Then, she walked straight through the huge park, straight into the town hall.

The entire entrance hall, built with marble and bricks to great effect, was magnificent but had been filled with booths. There were numerous lines going up to each one.

Derpy found one with a short line, and walked up to it. Suddenly, there was a bit of commotion at the front.

"What do you mean?" asked a light brown griffon loudly. He was larger than Derpy. At first she thought he was very thick, but realized it was just him fluffing up out of frustration, without it he would have been leaner than her.

"Sir, I meant exactly what I said," said the mare in the booth, an older mare, wearing glasses and with her mane in a ponytail. "There is no cash prize or even compensation for the lowest tier. If you want compensation, you need to finish the middle tier or above. If you want a shot at the prize money you need to finish the highest tier, which means you need to do the entire race."

The griffon didn't quite look angry, but he did look annoyed. "If I don't go for the prize, what exactly is the compensation?"

"It depends on the actual charity of the pony who's package is to be delivered. While I can't confirm anything, I have heard that the average is 10 bits, and the maximum allowed is 30 bits with no lower minimum. The train ride back to Vanhoover is free for all contestants, though."

The griffon had to hold back a scoff. "What's the prize money, then?" he asked.

"Doing the highest tier? The prize money is awarded to the first 50 contestants that finish the race and have their package delivered safely. The first prize is 2000 bits, second is 1700, then it's 1400, 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, and every winner placed 11 to 30 will get 200 bits, and everyone below that will get 100, plus the compensation of course."

"It's something. Fine," said the griffon.

"Fill out this form, don't forget your registration number. You package is waiting for you outside at station 13."

The griffon took the paper and almost stormed off. "Lucky number," he mumbled just as he passed Derpy. His beak was a bit too big for his head, and it was noticeably darker than his feathers or fur.

Derpy ignored him, and before long it was her turn.

"Welcome to the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race. Are you here to participate?" asked the mare. Derpy recognized the tone of voice. It was a standard greeting, probably one that she had used with enthusiasm at the start of the day, but now she was as tired as the racers were going to be.

"Sure am!" said Derpy.

"Name?"

"Derpy."

"Sorry, Miss, full name?"

Derpy sighed a little. "Muffin Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo O'Sullivan Hooves"

The mare looked up. "Your parents not sure what to name you?"

"You have no idea!"

"Do you have a registration number, or did you decide to apply just now?"

"I have a registration number!" said Derpy.

"Good, take this form and fill it out, and don't forget the number. Also, this is important, which tier are you applying for?"

"Tier?"

The mare sighed in frustration, but caught herself. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I've had to answer that question all day. Nopony seems to read the signs right outside."

"It's alright, but what are tiers?"

"This race is long. The longest race in history, and a lot will want to compete, but the ponies organizing it are aware a lot won't be able to complete it. Ponies will be allowed to stop earlier. There are three tiers. There's the hardest tier, where ponies will fly all the way to Manehattan. There's the middle tier, where you'll stop in Fillydelphia. And for those doing it the first time, the lowest tier will stop in Canterlot."

"Why do you have these tiers? Can't ponies just stop if they need to?"

"Not quite, there are prizes in this race, and we need to know which racers will be competing for which rewards. We don't want an athlete to enter, be able to try for a high prize, realize he can't win, and then just give up to claim a lesser reward, taking it from a hardworking but inexperienced flier. The racers need to admit their limits and set their goals. It's also important that we know how many contestants to expect at each checkpoint."

"Alright. I'll be going for the hard tier," said Derpy. She said she was going to complete the race and she meant it, and there was no point doing it halfway.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

"Well, it's your funeral. All you need to do is fill out the form, then go outside to station 24 where you'll pick up your package."

"Thank you!" said Derpy and walked away. There was a lot of things she didn't quite get about the race, but package delivery? That she could understand!

Once back out in the warm sunlight with the form filled out and ready, Derpy only had to walk around the corner to find the stations. Rows and rows of large tents along the building, all filled with both staff and stacks upon stacks of brown packages. She quickly got in line for her station.

"Attention," a voice said over loudspeaker. "The Pegasi Equestrian Express Race will begin in just 20 minutes."

"Next," said the young mare at the station's desk. Derpy handed over the form, and the mare only glanced at it.

"Oh yes, here you are," said the mare. She picked up one of the backpacks Derpy had seen, her color was deep blue. "Here's your complimentary bag, a standard empty flask for water is inside along with a small first aid kit. Do stay hydrated and safe out there. Do not lose them, and if you want to keep them you will need to finish the race."

"Will do!"

"And here is your package to be delivered," said the mare. She produced a small brown cardboard box, no side longer than 8 inches. "Now, the rules of the race stipulates that you can not break the seal and open the box. The contents must be delivered intact and unharmed. They must also be delivered by you, personally. You must check in at all the checkpoints, with your package. I have verified that this is the right package for you." She wrote down a number on Derpy's form, signed, and stamped it. "This form will be sent all the way to your destination, where it will be used to verify it is the right package at delivery, as the unique identification number is inside the package. Ouch, looks like you won't get much for delivering this. Any questions?"

Derpy was busy inspecting the box closely, very closely, like a craftsman inspecting art. A sturdy cardboard, no doubt chosen by an expert, resistant to water damage and collision. A very gentle shake told her the packaging material: semi-randomly shaped pellets, very shock-absorbing. Lifting it, rotating it, feeling how it was balanced, she could tell the item inside was very dense. The total weight couldn't have been less than 650 grams, no more than 720. Her best guess was a clock, a statue or a trophy.

"No?" asked the mare. "Great. Good luck in the race, and have a great day!"

Derpy waved goodbye and walked back to the park in front of the area. She noticed that most of the racers had migrated away, towards the big road right in front. A noticeably huge crowd was gathering on the sidewalks.

Unlike most others who made a short flight over the crowds, Derpy had to struggle her way to get out on the road.

"Derpy!" said a familiar voice. Time Turner walked up to her in all the commotion, with Dinky in tow. "Don't forget this!" he said, holding up a familiar item: a spare mailmare hat, modified with a string as to not fly off. "Show them all what you've got!"

"Good luck, mom!"

"Thank you both so much. We'll see each other in Manehattan, alright?" said Derpy, hugging them both tightly. She turned to Time Turner specifically, pointing in his face with a sudden stern look. "And you keep an eye on her, Doc. If you lose her no place in Equestria will keep you safe from me."

"Duly noted, my dear Hooves," said Time Turner.

She hugged them again, this time as a goodbye, before she finally stepped out on the large road. All kinds of species and types were cheering so loud she could have gone deaf, some from the rooftops, some from windows, but most from right beside all the racers on the road. A big starting line had been drawn right on the pavement, and racers were stretching their wings, eager to be the first to cross. One could spot Rainbow Dash quite easily, as she was given a wide berth; she had so much energy others seemed scared to be caught up in some terrible tornado. Derpy walked a bit further back, away from the packed front, to get more room. Hundreds of contestants, as far as the eye could see through all the crowds and banners, all of them with fire in their eyes. Derpy felt a bit intimidated by the scale of it all, so she did the only thing that could give her confidence: she put on the hat of the profession she was fighting for.

Right on time, the loudspeakers sounded off again, this time with fanfare. "Welcome, welcome, one and all!" a slick and energetic voice said. "My name is Play-By-Play and I will be your sportscaster for this event! We could not have asked for better weather, thank the local pegasi for that! This event is broadcast all over Equestria, and even beyond! Don't turn off your radios, because we're not just celebrating history! We're right in the middle of it! We've got griffons, pegasi, changelings, all kinds of friends competing to answer one question: who will be the victor, to embody the significance of the Pegasi Express!?"

"That's right, Play-By-Play! Those at home, if you're not excited yet, GET EXCITED!" said a familiar voice over the speakers.

"Who in Equestria are you?! The booth is supposed to be locked!"

Derpy cocked her head. "Pinkie Pie?"

"We've got titillating thrills today, folks!" said Pinkie Pie with her usual amount of energy, which was to say: all of it. "A race to the finish, I imagine there will be action, comedy, romance! It's an event for the ages and all ages! Don't you dare turn off those radios or you'll miss the action, action, ACTION!"

"Security!"

"I'm not a pegasus, but I can feel the thunder. I don't got no wings, but I am walking on air! Oh hey, are you guys going to broadcast too? Hang on, I've got more to say- Where are you throwing me?" There was a bit of a crash.

Play-By-Play cleared his throat a bit before he regained his composure. "And now, a word from our producers and main sponsors: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria."

If not for the fact everyone had already gone quiet, they certainly would have been now. Eyes everywhere were drawn to the center of the park, where both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked up on a small but well-built stage, fortunately no less than 50 feet away from Derpy.

Celestia gave them all a warm smile as she started to speak into a microphone. Twilight Sparkle stood to the side, looking dignified and happy. "Welcome, each and every one of you. It is with great pride and joy that we stand here today, for the first, and certainly not last, Pegasi Equestrian Express Race."

Luna leaned in. "On this day, 400 years ago, Manehattan was founded, and this event is dedicated to that great metropolis, but also to so much more. It is to the history of Equestria and the countless bonds this kingdom has forged and helped foster."

Celestia nodded. "We decided to hold this race not just for a joyous celebration, but to remind all manner of creatures out there in the world of something very important: it doesn't matter even if you're on the very edge of Equestria, you can always reach out to find a friend in this world."

"To that end, each and every racer has been given a package to be delivered, many from ponies right here in Vanhoover, to a friend in Manehattan. From our starting point, they will visit Cloudsdale, Canterlot and Fillydelphia before they finally reach the city that never sleeps!"

With a voice less regal and with more energy, Celestia looked to the racers. "And the very first racer to reach Manehattan will officially deliver their package on stage to their recipient, be given an award and a 2000 bit prize, and go down in history!"

"Now," said Luna, taking a deep breath. "LET THE RACE COMMENCE!"

Everyone in the crowd, every racer, most across Equestria, cheered. The energy continued for over half a minute, and then it just sort of died down. Celestia and Luna seemed to patiently wait for them, and eventually everyone managed to settle down.

Eventually it got awkwardly quiet, some confused whispers could be heard.

Twilight stepped forward and tapped the microphone a few times to make sure it was still on. "That was it, by the way, that was the starting signal. You're officially racing. Good luck!"

Having moved to the back was the right move, otherwise Derpy might have been trampled. Suddenly, hundreds of contestants spread their wings. Some launched straight up into the air, leaving everyone else in the dust, while others got a running start.

"And they're off!" said Play-By-Play. "To nopony's surprise, the Wonderbolt Rainbow Dash, a popular contestant with her fair number of fans, is in the lead, but can she keep that up?! It's a long race, Rainbow, do save your strength! She is followed by the Wonderbolt Sky High, and the griffon Heidi Heart from the newest racing team in the griffon kingdom! While the start was delayed, it did not disappoint!"

Derpy had hid behind her mailmare cap, keeping the dust out of her eyes. She peeked, and most had already left the road.

"But what's this? A lone racer is still on the track, a gray pegasus mare! A slow starter, perhaps?" said Play-By-Play.

Suddenly Derpy realized that every single eye was focused on her, along with every pair of ears near a radio.

"Okay, you can do this," she said, putting her hat on.

She started to flap, to get some momentum, and got some lift. Most racers were almost too high up to be seen anymore, she was alone. Her front hooves got off the ground, and ponies started to snicker. She certainly did look ridiculous.

In a moment of embarrassment, she merely pretended to stretch. Maybe, maybe my wings have healed? I haven't tried flying in a while.

She jumped off the ground, flapped and flapped, staying in the air, and then cramped up before falling down. Nope.

Ponies laughed. "Ladies and gentlecolts, the mare is inexperienced, if I didn't know better I'd say she had never flown in a race before, or flown period."

"Come on, mom!" shouted a voice from the sidewalk. "You can do this!"

Derpy looked over to see her daughter. It was all she needed to fiercely tighten her cap, flapped her wings harder, and balanced on her hind legs. Ponies started to snicker again, and they only laughed harder when Derpy started to walk forward.

"Dear listeners, you wouldn't believe it if you saw it: the mare is walking on her hind legs, and can't seem to get off the ground."

Derpy started to walk faster, they laughed even harder.

Derpy didn't listen to them. Instead, she started a slow run. It felt good, it felt easy. For every faster step Derpy took, the quieter the laughter became.

"Get your job back, mom!" said Dinky. "I love you!"

Then, Derpy applied all of the strength in her proud pegasus wings, sprinting fully towards the end of the road. Nopony was laughing anymore.

Band On The Run

Derpy had never experienced such a rush! The wind was blowing in her mane, her hooves running across the sun-scorched pavement and her wings flapping like a humming-bird. Without having to constantly adjust and adapt to the winds, she could just spend all her energy on moving straight forward. Sometimes, just for the joy of it, she would leap into the air and glide the rest of the way down, covering a sizable distance.

She wasn't just in the race, she didn't just have a chance, all doubt was gone and she was having fun.

As she followed the empty road eastward, towards the borders of the city, she finally caught up to some of the racers up above, the least experienced ones, or the more casual fliers, and managed to race past them.

She waved to them, almost losing her balance, before she rushed ahead. Not only did her style of running look ridiculous, it was also even harder to run on uneven terrain than she had thought. Tiny changes in terrain that once wouldn't have been an issue were suddenly huge problems, but she was sure she'd learn as long as she could keep it up. It only took minutes for them to completely leave Vanhoover behind, and it wasn't long before the paved roads under her hooves were replaced with soft grasslands.

Fresh air was absolutely what she needed, and having the horizon of skyscrapers and homes be replaced by the mountains, forests and the ever distant Canterlot peeking out from between the mountaintops gave her this amazing, wonderful sense that the whole world had opened up to her.

But, where in the world was she actually going?

She slowed down, barely able to open her backpack and bring out Time Turner's folder. Inside was a stack of papers, and a map. Just looking at the map forced her to make a full stop. She didn't know how to read it, and she didn't have a compass. There was a lot of arrows, notes, heights, lows, all kinds of stuff she just wasn't sure about how to interpret.

Well, Vanhoover is to the east... I think. Yeah, yeah it has to be! she thought. All I need to do right now is go west, and find the train tracks somehow... She wasn't quite sure how to get to the railway from her current position, but then she got an idea. All she had to do, at least for a start, was to follow the other racers. They were bound to know where the first checkpoint was. Without wasting more time, she took off in a sprint yet again.

High, high above she could barely make out a few fliers. They were graceful, quick, dealing with the strong winds like professionals. Even if Derpy would have had her flight back, there was no way she could have been flying on their level, in any sense of the word; the winds would have been too much for somepony like her.

Of course, when she looked ahead again, she was reminded that she had her own fair share of obstacles to face. A large dead tree was lying right in her path, and it was just barely that she jumped and cleared it.

That's when she noticed the ravine right behind it.

"No no no!" she screamed, spreading her wings on instinct to glide upwards. She cramped, and fell.

Fortunately, she didn't fall very far, but far enough. With a thud, she hit the moss on the bottom. For a moment, she was just lying there, but before long she sat up, still dizzy.

"Oow," she groaned. With a gasp her mind cleared, and she immediately took out her backpack and checked inside. It was with a huge sigh of relief that she found the package: unharmed. "Losing before I even really got started? What would Dinky and Doc think?"

While one disaster had been avoided, another reared its ugly head: how in the world was she going to get out? She was practically in a pit, and the sides were far too steep, even with her wings to give her at least some lift.

"Hello? Anyone!?" yelled Derpy. "Can anyone help me, please?! Pretty please!"

In the distance, she heard a familiar sound of wings flapping. Above, she could see dozens upon dozens of racers fly past.

"Hello! I'm trapped! Can anyone of you help me?! Hello?! Where are you going?!" she asked, but she was ignored by all of them. Maybe they assumed someone else would help? Maybe they were really into the race? Maybe they just didn't care. In any case, nopony stopped... except for one.

"What are you even doing?!" asked a voice, one she had heard that same day. Just above, a griffon landed next to the edge. "Just fly out!" It had been the grouchy griffon Derpy had seen in the town hall. The lean light brown creature peered down on her, with suspicious narrow eyes.

"I would if I could, but my wings don't work properly!" said Derpy. "Could you please help me?"

She was surprised to see the griffon grin smugly. "Did you really think I would fall for such an obvious trap?"

"What? This is just a hole, and I got unlucky," she responded. "I'm Derpy, what's your name?"

"None of your business!" said the griffon.

"Won't you help me out? Why do you think it's a trap?" asked Derpy.

"2000 bits on the line, and you don't think some would cheat a little?" asked the griffon.

"Wait, I don't get it. You and I must be the very last in this race by now, right?" asked Derpy.

"Riiight?"

"And we're both low, so no high-speed high-altitude flying for us, right?"

"Right."

"So, if this is a trick, all I would have done would be to take out competition that would have been the least of my worries to begin with."

Maybe the griffon wasn't very smart, maybe the guy was applying one-hundred-and-one percent of his brain to come up with an excuse that wouldn't make him sound stupid, whatever the case, his eyes and face practically allowed one to see the gears turning.

Eventually, he just shook his head. "I'm still not coming down there."

"Please, mister griffon! If I can't finish this race, I won't get my job as mailmare back!" said Derpy, and held up her hat.

The griffon moved closer out of curiosity, and then the dirt beneath his talon gave way. He fell down, and landed right on top of her.

Once he was finished groaning, he lifted his head up. "This is a very bad start."

"I'm happy to say it's the best race I've ever been in! Except for maybe that one time!"

Derpy shot up, throwing the griffon off her as she looked around in a panic. "Where's the package?!"

The griffon suddenly looked in his backpack, it was open. "Where's mine!?"

Derpy found it, still perfectly fine, in fact, both of the packages were! Her pupils got very small very quickly. Which package was hers?

"Oh come on!" said the griffon.

Without wasting a second, Derpy picked them both up to compare. They were practically exactly the same, not even her years of experience could tell them apart. Same size, same material, same weight, same balance. "Those amazing ponies made sure it would be equally fair for all racers, that's so nice!" Had she been a harsher pony, or Time Turner, she would have followed up with 'IDIOTS!'

"Was this your plan?!" asked the griffon.

"Of course not! What kind of plan is this? If I don't deliver the right package I'll get disqualified!"

The griffon shook his head, and lifted his talon to give a gesture to stop. "Fine! I'll fly you out of here! Looks like we're stuck together until we figure this out," He grabbed hold of Derpy, holding the packages, and within a short moment they were free.

His feathers fluffed up out of frustration. "What are we going-" he stopped himself, for the first time actually noticing something about Derpy's face. He quickly shook his head, took a deep breath and started over. "What are we going to do now, you stupid pony?"

"I don't know, you meanie griffon!" said Derpy, thinking. "I guess we should continue to the next checkpoint? Maybe they'll have some idea how to fix it? Maybe they've thought ahead?"

"I don't think they can open the packages anymore than we can. It's the first year, they didn't think stuff like this would happen, or they did and thought disqualification would be apt for idiots like us! Listen, Bubbles, if you're the reason I lose the prize money-!"

Suddenly, their argument was cut short as something caught on the dead tree's branch, spinning around it to then collide and smash the branch to pieces. They turned to look, and just over the hill three ponies and two griffons, big ones, scary ones, were rapidly approaching, the griffons readying freaking bolas.

"Duck!" said Derpy and grabbed the griffon, dragging him behind the thick trunk. Several more bolas hit the wood, the heavy weights more than capable of breaking bones.

"Oh no, oh sweet feathers of my fathers, they found me! They actually found me! It was way worse than I thought!" said the griffon, terrified.

"What is going on!" asked Derpy.

"It's the Big Bills!" said the griffon.

"Who?!"

"The griffon mafia! They're like the pony mafia, but actually dangerous!" said the griffon.

"Why are they throwing bolas at us?!" asked Derpy. This was more of an adventure than she had bargained for.

The griffon gave her an awkward look and chuckled nervously. "I- I might owe them a little bit of money. I was hoping the prize would cover it and then some. Don't get caught by them, you won't like it."

First Derpy made sure to put both the packages in her backpack. A part of Derpy, not being an adventurer, simply wanted to leave. This was his mess, and she was just caught up in it.

"Hey, Bills! The mare's got nothing to do with this! Let her go, alright?!" yelled the griffon.

Good! If she left now then she could keep out of trouble, just call the royal guards and have them help him.

"No witnesses! Catch them both!" said one of the criminals.

Right.

"This is crazy!" said Derpy. "We need to run!" She grabbed hold of him. Within moments, she was running across the grass with her wings quickly flapping, bolas narrowly missing. Derpy let go of the griffon, and he immediately started to follow her, gliding on her current. Soon enough, thankfully, they were out of range.

"What was your name again?" asked the griffon.

"I'm Derpy Hooves!"

"Geld Greifen."

***

Having spent most of the remaining day running, not willing to stop, too afraid to stop, they reached the first checkpoint, the first sign of civilization other than the railroads. Tired, hungry and thirsty, they stopped next to an old but still mostly active rail yard next to a small village. They were not too far from the middle of Unicorn Range.

"Hey, you!" said Geld to an earth pony working on the railway. "Where's the checkpoint to the Pegasi Express Race?"

"Where do you think?" asked the pony and rolled his eyes- no, actually he just looked upwards.

High above, one could see some lonely but large clouds, completely still. Derpy recognized it as the handwork of weather ponies.

"Oh, right," said Geld, looking at Derpy. "I guess making a checkpoint and camp out of clouds would be a lot cheaper. Smart."

"Um, Geld, could you please help me get up there?" asked Derpy.

"Oh? Oh. Sure... for a few bits I could-"

"Nope," said Derpy. "You've been flying on my current all day. If anything, you should be giving money to me."

"Well- I- But... Fine." He got off the ground, grabbed hold around Derpy's front legs with his arms, and pulled her all the way up to the skies, where they softly landed on the thick cumulus.

A lot of the big white fluff had been shaped into something akin to a shanty town for the racers. There were tents everywhere, with beds filled with resting racers, and Derpy immediately noticed a makeshift kitchen.

Thanks goodness, because no matter how much stamina she saved by her wing-running, anyone would need a break after running as much as she had. She was dripping with sweat, and she really hoped they had a basic shower set up, she would even take a rain cloud. Geld wasn't in great shape either.

"Hey, um... Bubbles," said Geld. They hadn't talked much to each other during the entire run, a few short words at best, usually to talk about directions, but ultimately too nervous for chitchat. Perhaps, it was time for an actual conversation, and most importantly to call out for...

"Hey, guards!" said Derpy, but Geld grabbed hold of her wings, causing them both to fall flat on the cloud.

"Wait, Bubbles! We need to have a talk first, please!" said Geld.

"But I can see guards right there! They can help us!"

"Listen, please listen to me before we do anything else! Let's get some food and talk first, alright? Please, should be safe with the guards around."

Derpy looked to the guards, and then Geld, then back to the guards, then back to Geld... it continued like that for a while. Eventually, she decided to give him a chance.

"Alright, let's get some food, then we'll talk. I'm starving!" said Derpy.

The kitchen still had a young chef working, and it was late enough for most ponies to have already eaten and gone to rest, so he wasn't busy; it didn't take long for them to get something to eat.

Derpy was happy to receive some steamed vegetables, along with some wheat and oats. Geld had the same thing, but with much less enthusiasm.

"Ugh, I know you're vegetarian, but can't you ponies at least make fake-meat?" he said as they sat down at the table. A hot meal felt quite nice with the nice cool evening air. It was just past dusk, and the very first stars could be seen if one peered closely.

Geld produced a spoon from his bag and started to eat. "So, Bubbles, I-"

"Geld, please don't call me Bubbles. I like 'Derpy', and I don't need my name to be even longer."

"Alright. Derpy, I think I owe you an explanation. Well, actually, I did explain. I loaned a little bit of money, and the Big Bills apparently wasn't going to wait for me to pay. I knew they weren't nice, but I never knew they would be this extreme."

"I just want to know why you don't call the guards. I would."

"Normally, I would too, but Derpy, if we call the guards, if we bring attention to the fact we've got a criminal organization after us, imagine how that will affect our position in the race." He leaned closer across the table to her. "We need to both reach Manehattan if we want to ensure a win, and The Big Bills are kind of a big thing in the griffon kingdom, if the guards here suspect us of anything, they will disqualify us, they have that power. It's in the rule book that the contestants can't be associated with criminals, but I'm not an associate, I'm just a victim!"

"Well, I guess being disqualified could be problem?" Derpy looked at him, curious. "But why do you still want to race instead of calling the guards?"

"Think of the prize money! We covered a lot of distance today. As you said, I've been sailing on your wind almost the whole time, flying low like this can work! Do you realize that we can actually win?"

Derpy looked at him, waiting... and then she cocked her head slightly when he stayed silent. "Is that it? That's what you wanted to talk about?" She immediately stood up. "We are dead last in the race! For all I know that might be literal soon! Winning should be the last thing on your mind! Geld, I don't care about the prize money! I just want to finish the race so I can get my job back! Is it really worth dealing with the griffon mafia?"

She immediately got up. "Now, I'm going to call the guards. My former boss is fair, and she'll understand. I am sure I can convince her to let me try the run on my own once the race is over..." but... was that really true? She hadn't suggested Derpy to fully heal, in fact, she was probably counting on Derpy failing, just to make sure the Ponyville post office would stay open. Could she finish the race anyway? It would prove that she was a capable delivery mare, that not wind, rain, snow, ice, nor organized crime would be able to stop her delivery.

She might have stopped on her own from trotting over to the nearest guard, but Geld stopped her even before that.

"Derpy, wait!" said Geld. He had lunged over the table just to put his talon on her shoulder. "T-there is more. I didn't want to say it, because it's a family matter, and we griffons don't like to share stuff like that."

"What?" asked Derpy, turning around. The way Geld spoke, the obvious tone of shame and reluctance in his voice made her concerned. If there was one thing she knew, aside from post, it was family.

Geld looked at her, relieved his words had reached her. "Back in my home, I have a little brother, and he's very sick. I needed money for his treatment. The Big Bills didn't loan me enough, but with some of the money I could get here. This race is his chance, his last chance, for a better life."

"Oh my goodness, Geld, I didn't know."

"As I said, we griffons don't like to share. It makes us... it makes us feel weak," he said, and looking away. He tried to stifle a chuckle. "Funny thing is, that if he had lived here in Equestria the healthcare would have been free. You don't know how good you have it."

Derpy sat back down. If she had been in a similar situation, if their roles had been reversed, she might never have stopped running until the finish line.

"I... I'm sorry I got you into this, and if you want to get out of it, you can still just talk to a guard. I can't actually stop you. Just- I'm begging you. If I do this race on my own and finish it, only to realize I have your package, I will fail. But if we do it together, and just happen to hand them over at the same time in Manehattan, we can still win. I need your help. I can't risk my brother's health on a 50/50 chance," He looked down at the table. "I'm also sorry that I'm asking this of you."

"No, I'll help you. We'll race together," said Derpy.

"You will? We will?"

"Yes. I still need my job back, and you need to help your brother. Even without this mess up with the boxes, we'd still be able to help each other," said Derpy.

"Great!" said Geld.

"Hang on, Geld. If you're to glide on my wind current, you save a lot of stamina and can keep a decent speed without as much work, so you're going to have to help me in some way. I'm pretty sure that without directions, I would still have been trying to find my way here... and I would need help just to get up to Cloudsdale. If every checkpoint is in the air, and I'm guessing most will be, someone's going to have to carry me up there."

"Yes- yes! Of course, I'll be your- your co-flier, so to speak. Derpy, thank you."

"Also, since you're going to be higher than me, you'll make sure the terrain ahead is clear, to keep a lookout, to read the map, and to fly me over anything that gets in the way."

"Yes, absolutely, I can do that."

"Okay! It's a deal! Let's save your brother!" said Derpy.

"And get your job back!" said Geld.

"Yeah!"

"Let's finish our meal, make sure we're registered at the checkpoint, and then let's continue the race immediately!"

"Yeah- wait, what?"

"Derpy, if we're going to have a chance to win this race, we're going to need to race like the professionals do it, by getting those extra few miles and camp out in the wilds. Not to mention that the Big Bills are probably going to visit most checkpoints by train, which means none of them are safe for us to stay in for very long. Even the guards have to sleep sometime. No criminals will be able to find us out in the wilderness."

Derpy looked at him with great doubt. "Geld, I know they want to catch you, and probably me at this point, but do you really think they would go to such lengths?"

"They went to enough lengths to seek me out on the other side of Equestria, didn't they? I'd rather not take any chances."

"Well, okay, but I'm not comfortable with letting criminals walk around Equestria just like that. We should at least write a note to the guards. If the guards are looking for the Big Bills, it could make things easier for us."

"That's a good point."

"Excuse me, have you seen two racers?" asked a pegasi to the cook nearby. It was mostly empty in the tent, so overhearing it wasn't too hard. The pegasi in question didn't look too welcoming: large, dark gray, strong, with a notable piece of his ear missing, and he was accompanied by two even larger griffons. Both seemed to be more lion than bird, big muscles, small beaks. They didn't seem worried about any guards, as the immediate area was completely free of them.

"I may have," said the chef. They noticed a little bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"No, I mean, have you seen a gray pony, yellow mane, with a lazy eye? Travels with a light brown griffin, with a thick beak?"

By the time the chef pointed towards their table, they were already gone.

***

"I didn't think they would be that fast!" said Geld as they ran around, looking for the checkpoint. "I thought we would at least have a few hours!"

"There it is!" said Derpy, pointing towards the side, seeing a tent with a single pegasus stallion attending a desk.

They both ran up to the desk, wheezing after a long day.

"Welcome! May I see your bags?" asked the pegasus. With no fuzz they both quickly handed them over. It only took looking at some papers, looking at a tag sewn onto the bag and seeing the packages inside, and writing down their signatures and times, and they were set.

"Excuse me, sir, I was just wondering. Is there way to identify which package belongs to which racer?" asked Derpy.

"Sure, once they are delivered to Manehattan, we can confirm it."

"Yes, but, if it were necessary, could one identify them sooner?" asked Geld, trying and failing to make the question seem casual.

"No, that's impossible without being disqualified. Has something happened?" asked the pony.

"No, no, no, no," they both insisted. Geld grabbed his bag from the desk. "We were just talking, and started to wonder what we should do if we find another racer's box."

"If you find a lost package, do please bring them with you to the nearest checkpoint. These are actual deliveries after all."

Derpy did a salute. "Yes, sir!"

Geld shook his head. "Alright, seems fair," he said, keeping a cool expression. Derpy could swear she could read curse words in his eyes.

They quickly left the checkpoint, in fact they left the entire cloud, both gliding down side by side, heading for the small town. Derpy made absolutely sure her wings were stiff as boards, as just the slightest maneuver could cause another cramp.

"I guess the plan is still in effect," said Geld as they landed. "Handing them over together in Manehattan and hoping nopony notices any irregularities. It's a bit of a gamble, but it's the only shot we've got."

"Alright," said Derpy. "I think that now we should... hurry into town, get a little bit of camping equipment, get our water flasks all filled up, and of course write our note and post it somewhere a guard will see it. Then, we just keep running until we get tired. Which way to Cloudsdale? That's the next stop, isn't it?"

"Did you say you have a map?" asked Geld. Once Derpy handed it over, he took a look. "Oh, alright, um... according to this, we should head mostly southeast, but not too far towards the mountains, and then we'll have smooth plains to run on the rest of the way. Who made this map? It's amazing. They even pointed out great spots to rest at."

"A very good friend," said Derpy, before they ran off, disappearing into the night.

Author's Notes:

This might be the last update before the holidays, going away soon and it's hard to write a decent story on a phone. I hope you're enjoying the story so far.

Oh hey, look, an original character. Don't worry, canon characters should make an appearance quite soon.

Checkpoint Cloudsdale

Derpy had never camped out in the wilderness in her life, and the inexperience showed. Her very rudimentary tent, basically a tarp hung over a low-hanging branch, looked like it would blow away any second. If Cloudsdale suddenly decided to produce rainclouds, her shelter certainly wouldn't keep her from getting wet.

On the plus side, making the campfire had been surprisingly easy. She had a knack for accidentally setting things on fire, so an intentional one had been a snap.

Geld was only fairing slightly better. Sure, his tented shelter was much more well built, the benefit of having digits, but it also had several holes in it, and smelled a bit musty.

He only had to take a whiff to grimace. "I guess I should have spent those extra bits to get a brand new one," said Geld as he lied down on the ground. "But, if this was good enough for the last owner, it's good enough for me."

"But it wasn't good enough for the last owner; I saw you take it out of the trash."

"Every bit counts," said Geld.

Derpy put down a blanket and lied down on it.

The crackling firewood was the only sound they could hear among the trees, in their little glade. The warm light from the fire shielded them from the cold darkness of the world around them, shadows from the flames dancing among the trees. It was just the two of them.

A thought occurred to Derpy. She was camping in the outskirts of a forest alongside a griffon. That's not something a pony does often. "Geld?"

"What?" asked Geld, lifting his head slightly, looking past the campfire over to her.

"Sorry, but, I'm sort of curious. What's the griffon kingdom like?" asked Derpy.

Geld immediately let his head fall back down on the ground. "Honestly? It's not great. Much smaller than Equestria, and most of it is just mountains. Pretty, got some great views if you like that sort of thing, but... well, we don't have any great leaders. There's not a lot to work with, and it's surrounded by dangerous territories. Last time I checked, Griffonstone was a mess."

"Are you from there?"

"No," said Geld. "It was just the last stop before Equestria. I'm from much further inland. Less dragons, more problems. But, what about you? All I know is that you want your job back and you're way too happy."

"Oh! Well," said Derpy, smiling. "I live in Ponyville, and I have a great daughter named Dinky, and I have a best friend Doc, and I love muffins, and to deliver mail and I lost my job because they thought I was prone to getting into trouble." The branch above her snapped, burying her in her tent.

"It's been a day and you have not only technically lost your package, you've also been targeted by the griffon mob. They might have been right on the money."

"Maybe, but I'll do my best, and If I win, I might get my job back! I'll prove I can do this!" she said, getting out of her tent, walking over to the nearest branch to start again.

"Hey, Derpy, I was sort of thinking about not asking, but it's going to drive me insane... What's with your eye? Is there a story there, or were you born with it?"

"There isn't really much to tell, I was just born with it. Although, one day, some ponies convinced me to have it 'fixed'. I was prepped for surgery and everything." She finished with her shelter, and lied down on her blanket again. This time, her tent was a bit sturdier. "Ponies I didn't know tended to look at me funny, and talk to me like I was a pony somehow... beneath them."

Geld shrugged. "I can relate: I talk to ponies like they are beneath me all the time." Derpy couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not, but he certainly did say it like a joke. She chuckled. "So," he said, turning over to lie on his belly. "It didn't work?"

"I didn't have the surgery. Ponies kept saying I could 'fix' it. I didn't want to let those ponies be right, I wasn't going to let them tell me I was, or have ever been, 'broken'."

Geld looked at her in silence for a little while. "You're a little proud, like a griffon. You'd fit right in back home," he then said, warmly.

"Really?" asked Derpy.

"Sure," said Geld, but he immediately pointed towards her with a serious look. "Do not visit the griffin kingdom, they will eat you alive."

Derpy lied down, her eyes focused on the burning flame before she felt herself slowly drifting off into sleep. "Good night, Geld!" said Derpy.

"Good night, Derpy."

***

"And with that, ladies and gentlecolts, we bid you goodnight! I, Play-By-Play, will see you tomorrow, to continue the coverage of the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race!" one could hear over the radio.

"That's right! Who knows what exciting events will transpire tomorrow! Don't forget to tune in!"

"HOW DO YOU KEEP GETTING IN HERE?"

"Finally, I thought they'd never shut up," said a big gruff griffon, with feathers almost as dark as the dingy basement they were hiding in. It was a tiny little hideout with red brick walls, filled with crates. The only windows were small, boarded up completely, only a single flickering bulb above the door allowed one to see anything.

The griffon was standing right by the door, and he looked over to the table with the radio. "Turn it off."

"Hang on, there might be something good on," said a smaller light-brown griffon, but no less intimidating. She reached over and turned the radio, finally finding something with a half-catchy tune.

"I told you to turn it off!"

The griffon at the table by the radio rolled her eyes. An orange pony sitting opposite her reached over and turned it off, he didn't need the big guy to start a fight again.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, a very specific knock. The big griffon looked annoyed but still unlocked the door and opened it.

Immediately that look of frustration vanished. "M-miss!"

A female griffon, only slightly larger than the pony, walked into the room with elegant steps. She was wearing a bright white dress, like she had just come from a high-society party. She looked frail compared to any of them, but she walked with absolute confidence. The large griffon closed the door behind her.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" asked the pony.

"A bit disrespectful but I'll ignore it," said the griffon in the dress. "There's been a change of plans. I'm going to need you to gather the rest of the Big Bills in the city and get these parts moved to another storage. We are not going to assemble anything in the coming days, as we don't know when we'll start. Maybe in a week at best."

"A week? That's late," said the pony.

"Yeah, why the holdup? The boys back home won't be happy about it," said the big griffon.

The griffon in the dress sighed. "We got a telegram just over an hour ago. The race is going to delay our plans. As a side note, you'll also be interested to know Geld is participating."

"Geld? That idiot?" asked the big griffon.

"The very same," said the griffon in the dress.

The pony looked at the female griffon opposite him, and then gave the others some odd looks. "Who the hell is Geld?"

"Well, you know how we sometimes 'generously' lend others some cash?" asked the griffon at the table. "Well, let's just say no griffon or pony has ever asked us Big Bills for the amount he asked for."

The griffon in the dress nodded. "Our boys and girls are stationed at every major checkpoint in the race and are looking for him and a gray pony with a lazy eye he seems to be traveling with."

***

Derpy was sprinting over the vast plains of western Equestria, with Geld gliding behind. There were just dry grass and farmland as far as the eyes could see, green hills stretching to the horizon, with a gentle wind making it all flow, forming waves upon the green. It was beautiful, but far from familiar.

"Geld, I think we're lost. We're lost a lot," said Derpy.

Geld was gliding, holding up the map, trying to get his bearings. "I'm sure we're close. It can't be that far now."

"That's the third time you say that," said Derpy, looking straight ahead. "Water!"

Geld immediately reached down to grab Derpy around her front legs, and flapped once, allowing them to glide over a large body of water right in their way without losing momentum.

"And that's the second time we've jumped over that pond, and that tree up there sure looks familiar," said Derpy.

"Okay, I admit, we might be a little lost."

"How can we miss an entire floating city in the sky?" asked Derpy.

"By not looking up?" asked someone right above them.

Derpy lost her balance, falling face-first into the soft dirt. Geld didn't have enough time to adjust, and slammed right into the only tree that was around for miles.

"Ow," said Derpy, sitting upright and clutching her head. "That was the second-worst fall today." She looked up towards the familiar pegasus flying above. Her Wonderbolts suit and aviator goggles couldn't hide her colors. "Hello, Rainbow Dash!"

"Hiya!" said Rainbow. "What's up, Derpy? Spotted you down here, had to say hello."

Geld walked over, his claw on his aching forehead. "Hey, I know you, you're that famous pegasus, with the Element of Royalty."

"Loyalty," said Rainbow. "Rainbow Dash: Wonderbolt, racer, hero."

"Geld Greifen: nobody, vagabond, in debt."

"This is fun! Derpy Hooves: mother, unemployed, I want a muffin."

"It's good to see you, Derpy. What are you doing this far from Ponyville? Visiting family?"

"We're racing! It's been both good and bad so far," said Derpy, omitting the griffon mafia, deciding to not get her friend from home in trouble.

Rainbow Dash had to pause, and landed when she realized she wasn't kidding.

"Are you serious, Derpy? You're in the race?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, sure!"

At first she looked at her in disbelief, but quickly shook that off. "You're in the race? And you've gotten this far already?"

"Yep!"

"Wow, Derpy, I'm impressed! I didn't know you had it in you! Although I shouldn't be surprised, all that delivering every day. It makes perfect sense you'd be good at this," said Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks!"

Geld walked between them and faced Rainbow Dash. "Do you know where Cloudsdale is?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Like I told you." She merely pointed with her wing straight up. Both Geld and Derpy looked up, and to their embarrassment Cloudsdale was obviously there. While one couldn't see anything except clouds, the overabundance of rainbows and the sheer size of the static formation should have been a clear giveaway.

"How did we miss that?" asked Geld.

"I have a lazy eye. What's your excuse?" asked Derpy. "Come on, let's go!"

"R-right," said Geld, quickly flapping his wings, grabbing hold of Derpy, and before long they were all soaring up towards the end of the first leg of the race.

"What gives, Derpy?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, I can't fly. You see, I had an accident. I had to run here."

That one little explanation was enough to almost cause Rainbow to plummet several feet, but she quickly recovered. While Derpy didn't want to share about their problems with the mafia, she was more than willing to talk about her little run. It made for a nice conversation as they got higher and higher, closer and closer to Cloudsdale.

As they reached the first Cloud, and landed upon the white fluff, Geld had to take a moment to breathe. Once he composed himself and stretched his back, he finally got a good look of the city. The sight of it almost made his jaw hit the clouds.

"Not bad, huh?" said Rainbow Dash.

"I- Wow. This is something else," said Geld. The architecture, wide and spiraling buildings made from the vapor, so curved yet firm, was something to behold as it glistened in the midday sun.

Geld glanced behind him, seeing the landscape stretch to the horizon with the mountains and even the sea, overwhelming. "We've never been big on clouds, but that's some view."

"Pretty awesome place," said Rainbow Dash with pride.

Derpy, glad to have arrived, grabbed hold of Geld and dragged him along. "Come on, Geld! We've got to check in! Have you already done it, Rainbow Dash?"

"Sure," said Rainbow. "I did it like an hour ago. I'm just taking a bit of a rest, don't want to overdo it, you know? It's a long race."

They reached something that looked like a plaza, with a familiar type of tent and setup. It only took a few minutes for them to get checked in, and just like that the first leg of the race was officially over for them.

To celebrate, all three of them decided to grab a bite to eat. There was a restaurant in the plaza that had a special offer for racers, and they decided to take advantage. They could either get it served, or take it with them. They ordered, and waited for their meals to be finished.

"I'm taking mine with me, saving it for later," said Rainbow Dash. "I've rested long enough, and unfortunately I've got to get going pretty soon. I've got my eyes on that first prize."

Derpy spotted something interesting across the plaza. "Geld, I'm just going to get something. Will you get my food for me?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," said Geld.

Derpy hurried across the plaza, towards a Cloudsdale gift store. There, hanging from a hook, she noticed a pair of nice, practical aviator goggles, not that different from Rainbow Dash's. She tried them on in front of a small mirror, and sure enough they fit her perfectly.

"Yes!" she said. Finally something to protect me from bugs! Should I get it with or without sunglass lenses? she thought to herself.

"Anyway," she heard coming from just outside. "Keep a lookout for a gray mare with weird yellow eyes." Just a glance in the mirror and she noticed a pair of intimidating griffons standing just outside the shop.

Sunglass lenses it was.

As quickly as she could without arousing suspicion, she paid for the goggles, put them on, and calmly sneaked back across the plaza. She managed to avoid the griffons, and before long she got back to Rainbow and Geld.

"The food is almost finished," said Geld. "Hey, cool goggles."

Derpy leaned in and whispered into his ear. If not for his feathers, surely Geld would have looked pale. "Actually, on second thought, we'll take those to go," he said to the chef.

"What's up, Derpy?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Other than the whole town, I mean."

"Oh- um-" said Derpy.

"How can we stay in one place with a race this exciting!" said Geld. "We've better get going."

"Oh, you're going right now?" said Rainbow. "Cool, I'll come with you."

Geld and Derpy looked at each other. As long as no Big Bills saw her travel with them, they both guessed it was fine.

"Well, better get going!" said Geld, and they hurried to the edge of the plaza, towards the edge of the cloud.

They all jumped off, and started to glide the long way down. In the horizon one could clearly make out the familiar landmark of Canterlot.

Derpy actually managed to land directly into her sprint. There was very little terrain in Canterlot's direction, and it was a straight line. It couldn't have been more than a day's journey away. The first leg of the race was over, and the second promised to be short without surprises. Derpy was aware that when they reached Canterlot, however, there could be trouble. The Big Bills really seemed to have it out for Geld, with members indeed keeping watch around every checkpoint. They'd been lucky so far.

That luck couldn't possibly last.

Canterlot Conflict

It had merely been a day's journey, a quick and uneventful trip all the way to the capital of Equestria. They had reached Canterlot, but it would only be a short visit. Derpy didn't land gracefully upon the paved streets, but she quickly shook that off while Rainbow Dash and Geld touched down next to her.

"I honestly can't believe you got this far by looking so silly, Derpy," said Rainbow Dash. "But I've got to say it seems to be working, I don't think we're in the lead, but we've got to be at least in the top 20."

Geld looked around as they walked, trying to not bump into anypony on the busy streets. "I've only been in Canterlot once, and that wasn't long and didn't end well. Where are we going?"

"The checkpoint should be right in front of the gates to the castle," said Rainbow Dash. "So, what happened?"

"What?" asked Geld.

"You said it didn't end well. What happened, exactly?" asked Rainbow.

"I- Well-"

"I think Geld told me some griffons had a bit of a grudge against him, some... bar-brawl?" said Derpy, hoping she sounded convincing. Making up excuses in case Rainbow Dash got in any trouble had been on her mind the entire trip from Cloudsdale.

"Y- yeah! Nasty guys, might still be around. Keep an eye out in case anyone gives me the stink-eye, alright? And if there's trouble, you should just continue with the race. I'll deal with my own messes."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Sure, I guess." Suddenly something grabbed all of her attention, something right up ahead.

Derpy instantly saw the standard tent used for the checkpoints while Geld immediately started to scan the surroundings for any shady characters. Rainbow Dash, however, just noticed the hot air balloon that was sitting by the path up to the tent, along with the not insignificant crowd.

"And what's this? It seems yet another few racers are coming up to the gates!" said a unicorn in the balloon. It was Play-By-Play. "Can you believe these racers, folks? I took all transportation available to get here, and they've all still kept up with me." Derpy hadn't actually seen him before, but once they got closer to the castle gates, and the tent, they got a good look.

While Derpy had known him to be extravagant and lively in his broadcasts, she had still expected a dry, dull and professional sportscaster. Play-By-Play was anything but. His fur was bright pink, and his mane was blue, with glitter in it. On top of it all he was wearing huge stylized star-shaped glasses.

While Derpy and Geld both intentionally veered, trying to avoid the inquisitive looks of the crowd and further attention, Rainbow Dash didn't pay the two any mind and went straight for Play-By-Play.

Play-By-Play reached over the side of the basket with a microphone in hoof. "And one of the contestants is walking up to me right now, folks! It's none other than the famous member of the Wonderbolts: Rainbow Dash! Tell me, Rainbow Dash, how is the race going?" he asked and reached the microphone down to her.

"Well, Play-By-Play, it's going amazing. We've got a good thing going, I've got a good rhythm. To nopony's surprise, I'm awesome! Since Cloudsdale I've even been flying low."

"Low, you say? Isn't that supposed to be inefficient for the race?"

"Most of the time, but my friend over there has been running like the wind! I've saved some energy by flying on her current," said Rainbow Dash, gesturing over to Derpy and Geld. Everyone turned, looking at the two standing just beyond the crowd.

"Oh no," said Geld. "Let's not bring attention to ourselves."

"Don't be shy, you two! Come over here, how about a quick interview?" asked Play-By-Play.

"We- we could- we would, but we've got a race to finish," said Geld awkwardly, pointing over to the tent.

"These racers are true professionals, folks. They've got racing in their blood, and wind in their steps! They won't be interviewed. And would you believe it, folks. It's the fan favorite gray pegasus, the nicknamed Running Start."

Derpy froze. "Uh oh."

"Ponies may have laughed, but whatever she's been doing it sure seems to be working! Tell me, Rainbow Dash, what is her name, and has she been running the entire way? She's got some fans that are dying to find out!"

While Rainbow Dash gladly answered any question asked of her, Geld and Derpy hurried over to the tent.

"That was a live broadcast," said Derpy. "This isn't good, is it? They might figure out exactly who I am."

"Don't worry, it's fine," said Geld as they got checked in at the checkpoint. "The Big Bills don't know for sure that it's you. They've got your description, okay, but they can't know with just your name. Also, as long as they don't realize that you're still actually traveling with me, you've got nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" said Derpy as they quickly hurried away from the tent and out of sight.

"Positive."

"There they are! Get them!" yelled someone from behind.

Both of them glanced backwards, seeing a large griffon pointing his claw towards them, with five other nasty-looking brutes by his side.

"Run. Get guards," said Geld.

"But you said-" said Derpy.

"I know what I said; it's not worth it anymore!" said Geld and bolted into an alleyway. Derpy immediately took off, galloping down the street. With streets filled with ponies, obstacles and just tight turns, she couldn't use her wings for any extra speed.

"Don't let them get away!"

Guards guards guards guards guards, Derpy thought, desperately looking around, but all she found was civilians, all of which were either fleeing from the chaos or taking cover.

Derpy noticed a shadow hanging over her, getting larger. At the very last second she jumped out of the way, as a griffon landed where she had just been. Barely escaping his reach, she ran into a narrow alley, too narrow for whichever of them might have taken to the sky. Just moments later she exited out to another street, one filled to the brim with ponies who were blissfully unaware of her problems.

There! Just slightly to the right across the street, two guards were idly standing by their post.

Derpy pushed through the crowds, almost getting hit by a large cart, before she reached them. "Guards!"

"What's the matter, miss? Is there a problem?" asked the guard on the right.

"You bet there is a problem," said a gruff dark voice behind Derpy, who felt a subtle gripping of talons around her bag. "But don't worry, we're going to sort it out." She turned around only to see the biggest griffon she'd ever seen. His feathers and fur were bright and warm, but his eyes could have frozen Princess Celestia.

"Wow," said the guard on the left. "I'm sorry, Sir, but you could not have sounded more ominous if you tried."

"Help! They are going to hurt me!" shouted Derpy. She felt fear, but fortunately didn't panic. He was alone, his gang were nowhere to be seen, and she was very much in public, the guards were taking it seriously. There was hope.

The griffon leaned in, very close, to the guards, looking them straight in the eyes. "By the way, do you know what my name is?"

"Um, no?"

"Oh no, how shall I ever escape the consequences of my actions," he said, dryly. Then he grabbed the two ponies by their helmets and smashed them together hard enough to make a dent in the metal. They fell down on the spot, knocked out. Then the griffon effortlessly picked a struggling Derpy up with his front claws, threw her across his shoulder, and quite easily walked on his hind-legs back towards the alley, through panicking ponies.

"Let go of me!" said Derpy.

"You would be surprised how many ponies tell me that. You would not be surprised by the amount of times I've said no." The griffon then went into a sprint back through the alley. Derpy could see the rest of his gang waiting on the other side, and from what she could tell nopony was coming to her rescue.

Okay, okay, how do I get out of this? she thought to herself, almost panicking. Can't fly. Can't run. So what do I do? Suddenly, images of a tree or two popped up in her mind, and in a moment of desperation she grabbed hold of the griffon as tightly as she could, and then flapped her wings with outmost effort.

Her maneuver worked better than she could have hoped for. The griffon got a burst of speed, inadvertently tackling his companions and shooting straight into a thick stone garden wall. Derpy fell down on the ground, quickly getting up on her hooves before running away.

"Sorry!" she shouted back to the griffons, before running off to find a guard.

***

While this was definitely a worst case scenario for Geld, he had to admit he'd been lucky. Not a single griffon had managed to keep up with him. Sure, he wasn't a particularly good athlete, but he knew how to get out of trouble, at least almost as well as getting into it.

For the moment, he quietly sneaked his way through Canterlot, keeping his eyes on the sky. While he had spotted a few griffons, no doubt Big Bills, he had yet to see any guards.

Suddenly, someone tugged on his wing. He jumped with a bird cry, not unlike that of a panicked chicken. Turning around in fear, he calmed down when he noticed it was just Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Geld, where's Derpy? Is she in trouble?"

"I want to find her and get out of here. Have you called any guards?" asked Geld.

"Well, yeah. Obviously. I'm not going to have a bunch of violent dudes running around in Canterlot."

"Good," said Geld, looking around for any trouble. "Listen, I just want to get out of here with her. Do you know a good place to take off?"

"Well, there is the airship harbor... place, to the southeast."

"Well, if you see her first, tell her to meet me there."

"Wait, I'm coming with!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash, maybe it would be better if you just stayed out of this. You could get into trouble otherwise."

She gave him a suspicious look. "This isn't about a bar-brawl, is it? Who are these griffons, really?"

Geld didn't want to answer, and to other ponies he probably wouldn't have, but Rainbow Dash gave him such a piercing, unrelenting glare. "It's the Big Bills, alright!?"

Calling Rainbow Dash surprised would have been an understatement. "Th- the Big Bills? You two have gotten yourself involved with the griffon mob!?"

Geld hushed her. "Please, not so loud!"

"How is Derpy even- Did you-" She then just stopped, her face turned stoic and with a deep breath started over. "You're an idiot. Get Derpy out of this mess right this instant."

"It's a bit more complex than that?" he said, shrugging awkwardly.

Rainbow Dash immediately zoomed right up to his big beak. "If Derpy gets hurt because you decided to make her a target, there is nothing in the world that will hide you from me." She then walked away from him. "I'm finding Derpy, but Geld, fix this." Then, taking flight, she left him there on the street.

Suddenly, something large bumped into him, pushing him up against a nearby wall. An entire forearm pinned his neck to the cold hard stone behind him.

"Hello, Geld," said a large dark griffon.

"H- hey, Brick! How's it going?" he asked.

Brick ignored him pushed hard into him. "You're going to tell us what we want to know." At the word 'us', Geld realized he wasn't alone. At least a dozen members surrounded them, griffons, stallions and mares. All clearly very annoyed with him, all getting very close.

"I'll pay you back, I swear! I'm a little light on change right now, but come on! If I get any of the prize money I'll easily pay-"

With little patience Brick almost started to choke him. "We don't care about your money, Geld! Tell us where to look!"

"L-l-l-look for what?"

"Geld!" yelled Derpy.

Geld, the Big Bills, everyone turned to look. Far away, at the very end of the street, one could see Derpy standing, looking concerned.

Without a care in the world, Brick let go of Geld and without delay he then pointed towards Derpy. "That's the target! Get her!" And just like that the Big Bills might as well have forgotten Geld existed.

"What?!" said Geld.

"This is not a good day!" said Derpy as she turned tail and ran. While she could endure long runs after all her years in the postal service, she wasn't graceful enough to quickly dash through the confused or oblivious crowds. Suddenly, her hooves lost contact with the street. For a moment, she thought one of the Big Bills had caught her and was hauling her off to a terrible dungeon, but one look upwards made her smile. It was Rainbow Dash.

"Got ya, Derpy!" said Rainbow Dash, with the wind in her mane and a confident smirk on her face.

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash!"

They both glanced back as they soared above the rooftops, seeing several Big Bills following them at top speed, all looking ready to pluck them good.

"So these guys are actually after you? What did you do this time?!"

"I don't know what I did!" said Derpy. She looked ahead, and to her relief spotted several winged guards approaching. Before she could call out to them, something collided with her. Brick, being quite fast for someone with such a large body, had managed to make Rainbow lose her grip. He might have failed to catch her, but he did grab Derpy's bag with his deadly talons.

In a moment of failed heroics, Geld had flown to try to hit Brick, but instead he got knocked far away with just a strong swing of the criminal's wing.

In that moment, most ponies would have simply given up the bag, leaving it to instead glide to safety, but not Derpy. She absolutely refused to let go of the package she had a sacred duty to deliver. They could do whatever they wanted to her, but they were not going to make her fail. Too much was at stake: her job, Geld's brother and her pride as a mailmare.

"You've given us quite some headaches, pony!" said Brick, turning around to get away from the guards and Rainbow Dash, once she had regained her balance.

Derpy clung to the strap, keeping her attention on Brick and her bag. "What do you want with me?!"

Brick looked down, clearly surprised. He started to violently shake the bag. "Just let go! Give us the blasted package!"

"No!" yelled Derpy. In one swift motion that took all of her strength, she pulled herself up and bit Brick on his talon.

He immediately dropped it, and Derpy started to tumble towards the hard streets below. There had not been enough to correct herself and glide to safety, but to everyone's relief Rainbow Dash caught her, and from their slow descent Derpy could clearly see Brick and the other Big Bills retreat, being chased by the guards.

They were safe. For now.

"Derpy! Rainbow Dash!" yelled Geld, flying over to glide beside them. "Are you okay?!"

"Chill. We're fine," said Rainbow Dash. "But wow, that guy hit like a brick."

"That's literally his name," said Geld, then turning to look at Derpy. "I- I don't get this! Why would they be after you, Derpy? What could someone like you have possibly-"

"They wanted my package," said Derpy, holding her bag tightly.

"Let's land and get somewhere safe, then we can figure out what to do next," said Rainbow Dash.

"Sure- yeah, sure!" said Geld.

Derpy, however, just kept quiet for the rest of the descent. All she did was trying to imagine what sort of thing would make the griffon mafia literally chase her across Equestria. What was in the package?

Ever Onwards

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!"

In The Middle Of The Night

It had been five long days since starting all the way back in Vanhoover. A fantastic journey was definitely at the very least past the halfway point. With Canterlot barely visible over the horizon, the trip to their next destination, Baltimare, felt like the longest they had undertaken so far. According to Rainbow Dash, reading their map, they would reach the checkpoint tomorrow.

Getting there faster would have been impossible even if Derpy had been capable of flight. If nothing else they didn't need to take many detours, as the path to Baltimare was practically straight, most of it being almost along the Equestrian railroads. They decided to shave a few hours off their time by going through the forest, past a small mountain, not to mention avoiding the sun in the cool shades of the trees.

It was getting dark, so they set up camp in the middle of the dark woods, their backs towards the mountain cliff. Rainbow Dash retrieved a raincloud so they could have a drink, and there was even enough for a refreshing cold shower to wash away all the sweat. Then, they heated up near the campfire as they had a simple packed dinner. It was nice, it was cozy. Exhausted, but content, it didn't take long for them to rest their tired legs and wings. Tomorrow was going to be another exciting tiring day.

However difficult it would be, they were getting close. It was just the checkpoint in Baltimare, then they only needed to follow the coast past Fillydelphia all the way up to their goal: Manehattan.

Almost there.

"Thanks for the cloud, Rainbow Dash," said Geld. "I really needed to cool off."

"No problem," said Rainbow Dash. Her attention momentarily turned towards the woods, perhaps hearing a critter or something similar.

"Geld," said Derpy. "You've almost crossed Equestria. How do you like it so far?"

"Other than the surprising amount of organized crime, of course," added Rainbow Dash.

Geld looked over his shoulder, towards the west. "Canterlot was really impressive, almost reminded me of the griffon capital. Other than that, I haven't really been floored by any other location," said Geld. "But I have to admit, it's peaceful almost everywhere. Glad I'm not living here, I'd be bored... but happy."

Rainbow Dash laughed. "I wouldn't exactly call Equestria boring."

"In any case, I can see why you like it so much," said Geld, with a look of reminiscing on his face. "Back home, I feel like I have to always watch my back around every single griffon I see. Here, if it wasn't for the Big Bills, I could fall asleep in the streets without a care."

"How did you get on their bad side to begin with?" asked Rainbow Dash. Judging by his eyes, one could just notice that Geld was taken a little off-guard.

Derpy had to admit to herself that she too was a little intrigued, but she had learned both at home and at work it was rude to ask. Still, curiosity kept her from telling Rainbow Dash her question wasn't proper. All she did was keeping herself quiet and small under her cover, not unlike a stealthy cat.

"Well, I guess it wasn't for the reasons I thought. I still owe them a bit of money, but I imagine that now it's because I'm not currently giving the packages to them on a silver platter."

"I know what this is about, you doofus, I meant how and why did you think they were after you to begin with?"

"Well," said Geld shifting his weight a little before settling, "I was going to make a bet, but I needed some extra cash. One of their usual hangouts were just across the street and none of the other griffons around were just about to lend me money, so I went for it. Went straight in and asked the first guy I saw for a small sum."

Rainbow Dash had to scoff just a little. "You didn't think it might have been a bad idea?"

"For what I borrowed I had assumed they wouldn't expect me to pay it back immediately! I didn't think they would go across the sea and Equestria for it. When Derpy and I met them outside Vanhoover, I assumed they were even more extreme than I had heard." Geld sighed. "Either way it doesn't matter. Once I get some price money, I'm going to need to lie low for a while."

Derpy raised her head just a little. "If you didn't have a brother in need, would you have turned us over to them?"

"Just her? Absolutely," said Geld, pointing in Rainbow Dash's direction. "Not you, though, Derpy. You've really impressed me. Not to mention you've really helped out." There was a moment of silence, and something about Geld's shuffling behaviour, him scratching his feathers and rubbing his beak, made the moment feel unnecessarily awkward.

"What is it, Geld?" asked Derpy.

"I'm kind of... I'm kind of an... only child."

Rainbow Dash clearly wasn't surprised, judging by how she rolled her eyes. Derpy, however, just stared at him, eventually thinking she had to have heard him wrong. "What?"

"I'm an only child. I really needed the money, and I know how, well, how much you ponies are about families. You wanted to risk our odds at first, and well, I really felt it was the right move, I guess?"

"Are you serious?! That is awful, so awful!" said Derpy, standing up and marching right up to Geld who simply struggled to back away from her, barely able to get up on all fours, actually looking more terrified of her than any member of the Big Bills.

"H-hey, I'm sorry I lied, but I didn't-"

"Had you told me the truth from the start, I would have helped you then too! I don't care that you lied! That's not the point! If you were willing to put me and Rainbow Dash and bystanders at risk you should have been open with us! Imagine those ponies in Canterlot that got in the way? What if they had gotten hurt? That would have been on not just you, but us!"

Suddenly Geld puffed up his chest, taking a determined step towards her. He then rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner, finally looking straight into her eyes, beak to face. "Firstly, I never wanted anyone to get in trouble, I just wanted to win! And secondly, hypocrite much, huh?! You still wanted to continue, so you were willing to put ponies in danger too!"

"That's not true!" said Derpy "There were only ever two things I thought about during this whole race! Getting my job back, and helping your fake sibling!"

"And at no point before today, did it ever cross your mind that having an infamous organized little group of criminals be on the warpath after us, might get others in trouble?"

At this, Derpy didn't have an answer, despite desperately trying to come up with one.

Geld took a step back, looking at her with a resentful contempt. "Of course you didn't think about it, and I'm willing to bet that's the basic reason you got fired: because you don't think things through enough."

"Listen, you two," said Rainbow Dash, softly landing between them. "Geld, you were trying to be hurtful, just to be hurtful, didn't you? Say you're sorry."

"I-" but Geld sighed. With anyone else, he might have continued the fight just to continue it, but he couldn't bring himself to keep being angry at the gray mare. "I'm sorry, Derpy."

They watched Derpy trott over to her own spot before Rainbow Dash turned to Geld again. "While you might be in too much trouble with them now for it to matter, I kind of want to know. How much did you actually owe the Big Bills?"

"Oh, three bits."

While Rainbow Dash wasn't surprised by Geld having lied about having a sibling, the amount did take her completely off guard, but it was Derpy throwing her water bottle straight into his face from across the camp that made her jaw drop.

"Are you seriously for real?! You thought they hounded you across Equestria for three lousy bits!?" yelled Derpy.

"I told you I was surprised! How was I supposed to know you happened to carry around what I can only assume is a giant diamond!?"

"You were willing to put ponies in danger because of three bits?!"

"I saw an opportunity and I took it! If there has ever been anything I've been taught as a griffon, it's that!"

"I admit that's kind of a jerk move, Geld, but Derpy," said Rainbow, turning to face her. "You threw that water bottle in his face because you were mad. That wasn't very nice. Apologize."

"Sorry..." said Derpy.

"Good. Now, what I want to know is: does this change anything? Do you still want to finish the race?" asked Rainbow.

"Yes," they said. Geld was a bit more determined than Derpy was.

"At this point, it wouldn't have mattered how this mess started. You are both in trouble, and I guess me too, but I'm fierce so I don't have to worry about anything anyone throws my way. The race is almost over, just a few more days. There isn't a lot of ground left to cover, and I promise you both that no innocent bystander is going to get in more trouble from here on out. I will be 120 percent dedicated to making sure that doesn't happen. Derpy, you will get your job back. Geld, you will get money to pay off your... debts, and then we will leave this whole mess behind us. But, I want us to finish it together. The Pegasi Express Race is about strenghtening bonds, not breaking them. You've worked well together, despite things, and I don't want to ruin that."

Derpy thought it over. Had it not been for the element of danger with the Big Bills, she probably would have simply told him to leave, or left herself to try to finish the race either alone or with Rainbow Dash. She would have given him enough bits, taken his package, and delivered them both. But, she couldn't bring herself to just abandon Geld in the middle of nowhere.

Geld looked at her, no longer puffed up, instead he looked almost small. "Derpy, I'm sorry."

"Let's just go to sleep," said Derpy. "We'll continue tomorrow." She needed to sleep on what to do next. Would they finish the whole race together, or would she practically abandon him in Baltimare where it was safer for them both?

It turned out the choice wasn't really hers to make.

Rainbow Dash's ears suddenly spiked up, she peered into the darkness of the woods, ears twitching, stance tense. In one swift movement, she grabbed the collected rainwater and doused the campfire.

"We're not alone," she whispered in the enveloping cool night. "Get your gear, you've got ten seconds."

Out of the Woods

One could only describe the next few seconds as utter silent chaos. It was a mad scramble to take whatever one could bring. Derpy had to leave her little shelter behind, fortunately she had most of her belongings already packed, including the crucial packages.

It was obvious Geld wasn't as lucky, most of his things were strewn about, and in the end he only got a blanket and his water with him as they rushed into the dark of the forest.

Rainbow Dash flew up into the nearest treetop, and while Derpy wouldn't have been able to fly above them, it only took one good flap and a mightly leap before she too disappeared among the branches and the leaves.

Geld quickly joined them, and they sat there in the darkness like three little mice, listening in complete silence to whatever threat might have been hunting them.

Within a few tense moments, one could hear the rustling of leaves, both from the bushes and the trees, as over a dozen figures passed them, all heading towards the abandoned camp. They couldn't see them, but they could hear it very closely; every animal with any sense had disappeared, leaving the forest almost completely quiet. There wasn't even a breeze. Had all the griffons and ponies on the ground stopped moving for just a second, they would have been able to find Derpy by her breathing alone.

It took several tense, agonizing moments for the silence to be broken. A voice yelled out from just below. "Did you find them?" asked an angry griffon. Rainbow Dash, Geld and Derpy all jumped in shock, not even having noticed him. They had to supress a shared sigh of relief when they realized he hadn't heard them.

"Maybe, there's a feather here. Could have been a pegasus, or a griffon."

Derpy turned to Geld, giving him a scared look, a look that very specifically said "What if they find us?"

Geld answered her look with a gesture, a shake of his head, and a secure smug grin that seemed to say "Relax, they can't know for sure it's our campsite!"

"The boss was right! They were here! I found Geld's travel papers!"

Geld didn't need to look, as he could practically feel his companions' glares, like sharp hot daggers. He did actually, however, feel Rainbow lightly tap his shoulder, and when he looked she gestured to both of them that they needed to keep moving.

It wasn't easy, traveling in the trees, and it only became worse once it dawned on them that not only were Big Bills on the ground, but also patrolling the sky above. Flashlights were turned on, helping their hunters search through the treetops after anyone who might try to escape by air. Derpy had to do her utmost to keep herself from clumsily crash into a tree or fall to the ground, but against all odds she managed to keep out of trouble.

Then, there was a little bit of a problem. The trees became sparser ahead, but a few Big Bills were still searching below, going through bushes and searching for tracks. They were constantly updating each other on any progress or lack thereof. Derpy actually found their work impressive; not unlike a post office, communication was an important part of a productive work environment.

The first great gap between trees arrived, and Geld was the first to jump over. While he was larger and leaner than Derpy, he still managed to land softly on the branch ahead. It made sense to her, he was half cat after all... right?

Rainbow Dash was next, competitive as always. She just barely managed to keep out of a stray lightbeam, to the point where whoever was using it felt they needed to double check to see if they had seen something rainbow colored in the dark, but it was clear Rainbow Dash had cleared it by the skin of her teeth.

Derpy, feeling a bit insecure about jumping that long and precise without even getting a running start, decided to play it safe. She took off her bag, waited until the right moment, and tossed it over to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow caught it without issue... but the bag had been open. One of the two important packages fell out, and there was a unicorn just at the base of the tree! Derpy and Geld both had faces frozen in silent screams, while Rainbow being an athlete and having the reflexes of one, fumbled with the package, almost juggling with it while she desperately tried to keep her balance on just two hooves. Being a pegasus, she couldn't get a grip, hitting the box almost a dozen times, and with one last fumble, it fell out of her range, past one of the thinner branches, out into a freefall.

But Geld launched himself, burying the claws of his hind legs into the tree, and with one talon on the branch, he caught it with his other, the upside of having digits, managing a balancing act that left Derpy breathless. It had been fast, efficient and quiet.

Nopony had noticed a thing. They were safe. They had witnessed a miracle.

"Awesome, Geld!" yelled Rainbow Dash, immediately covering her mouth with wide eyes.

Every single flashlight in the forest suddenly seemed to be pointing straight at them.

"Um, oops," said Rainbow.

"Run!" said Derpy, jumping over the gap, but instead of landing on the branch, she glided down to the ground. She hit and jumped off the face of the unicorn, and landed into a full sprint. Bushes kept hitting her face but thankfully her goggles were hanging around her neck. With just one quick adjustment nothing bothered her anymore. All Derpy focused on was running for her dear life.

Zipping past trees in the dark, having the stars and frantic searchlights following her as guides, she did everything she could to not crash for once in her life.

"Trench up ahead, Derpy! Get ready!" yelled Geld from somewhere above.

Derpy couldn't do anything else but trust him. "Tell me when!"

Above, she could hear Geld jump from branch to branch, following her.

"Now!"

And Derpy jumped. For a moment, it seemed like the searchlights fell away, and the ground disappeared beneath her. For just a moment, she hovered in an infinite abyss, the only reminder she was still alive being the air blowing through her mane.

And then the world returned to her. Stumbling, but not falling, she reached the other side and continued her sprint, away from her pursuers.

"Thanks, Geld!" she said, looking back towards him.

And that's when she crashed into the tree.

***

Derpy must have been out of it for a relatively short time, a few minutes at most, but she jolted awake like she continued her sprint, accidentally kicking a stranger in the face.

"Why do you hate my face so much?!" yelled the angry unicorn before disappearing into the small crowd surrounding them.

Pausing, Derpy took a moment, and a breath, to take in her surroundings. They were clearly inside a building, a shack, or rather...? Old rusty iron bars scattered around, two stories tall, windows and railings up above... A storage depot next to the railroad. She was tied to a pole in the middle of the messy room, with basically all of their pursuers crowded around her. A few oil lamps had been lit, filling the room with a warm but weak light, casting dancing shadows upon the walls and debris. Her goggles were nowhere to be found, along with her bag.

A single, familiar griffon, large, dark, intimidating, sat hunched on his hind paws, holding something in his talon: a package, ripped open like a mortal wound.

"Where. Is. It?" asked the griffon in such an intimidating voice, even his coworkers seemed to want to avoid him.

"H- hello, Mister Griffon. Brick, wasn't it? I'm Derpy Hoov-"

He silenced her with a quick, firm gesture. "This isn't yours," said Brick, holding the package closer to Derpy's face. Inside the box, among packing material, Derpy could see a small metal statue depicting two mares hugging a heart together. It was adorable, and Derpy gushed at the sight. "Focus! One of the others must have it, where are they!?" Brick practically roared like a dragon.

Derpy didn't let herself be intimidated, but she didn't want them to be frustrated with her either. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm not sure. If you didn't get them with me, they might already be gone."

Brick didn't like what he heard. "Your companions are gone, but they have the box. Where do we find them?!"

"I don't know! I just hope they're okay!"

Brick took the statue, smashed the box onto the ground, and with one talon each he grabbed the mares, flexing his muscles. "Tell me where they are or this is what will happen to y-"

With absolute horror, Derpy thrashed against the ropes. "No! No! Please! Not the statue! Some poor customer in Manehattan is expecting it! What if it's a gift from a sweetheart!?"

Nobody had managed to knock Brick off his balance since Miss Grau herself, but he had never expected her to plead so desperately, like he was about to break a foal in half, for just a trinket.

"C-calm down! It just a stupid statue! It's not important!"

Derpy froze, focusing her gaze on him. "Every package is important."

Brick could only stare at her before regaining his composure, never in all his years doing this dirty business had he ever encountered one such as her. He usually dealt with thugs, criminals, cowards and weaklings. This was new. Derpy noticed that his stern face became ever so slightly softer. Brick quickly realized that this wasn't his usual mark, and he needed a different touch here, one he wasn't used to using... one he didn't mind. He took a deep breath.

"Listen, sweetheart," said Brick, visibly relaxing. "I am really under pressure here. This clearly wasn't your package. All we need is your box. Would you please tell me where it is?"

"I'm sorry, Mister Brick, but I can't. Even if I knew where it was, I still couldn't. I have a duty to deliver it to the proper recipient!"

Brick gestured to her, a wide friendly gesture, a comforting gesture, one that told her everything would be fine! "Then you're in luck! The package you are delivering belongs to our boss! If we get it, then you don't even need to finish the race! A job well-done!"

"Mister Brick, I really need to finish the race and the delivery myself! Even if what you're saying is true, which can be kind of hard to believe, I'm doing this so that I can get my old job back! I need to finish it!"

"Listen, I guarantee you that it's our package. How else would we have known it was you who had it? If you give us the package, then everything is forgiven. You can go home safe and sound, Geld's... stupid debt is cleared and we won't bother him. It will be water under the bridge," said Brick.

"But my job-"

"Don't you think we would be able to convince your boss to hire you? We could get you anything you need to get a simple job back! Great references, a bribe or two, or just intimidation if the need calls for it! If you give us the package, it will be easier for us all."

Derpy took a long and hard look at Brick. "I'm sorry, but the answer is still no. I want you to understand it's fundamentally not about you being criminals. It's about me, doing my duty as a mailmare! To know I'm doing what I love, and that I'm doing it right! I won't let myself or my family down!" she said. Also, she wasn't sure they would be able to convince her old boss to do anything, whether they used bribes, threats or whatever they could come up with. "Besides, if it's really your package, why can't you just let me deliver it like I'm supposed to?"

"That would have been fine, frustrating, but fine under any other circumstance," said Brick. "But, then, you became popular in the competition. Could leave a very incriminating paper trai-"

"Um, boss? Aren't you telling her a bit much?" asked on of the other griffons.

Brick realized she had gotten the better of him again. It was something about those eyes that made one trust her, lower one's guard.

"Y-you're right. We can't have that, it would ruin some very important plans," Brick said. Back to standard practices, he didn't truly want to harm this innocent mare, but if the situation called for it... "Listen, we know who you are, and if you have family, we will find them, and-"

"Mister Brick, I'm sorry, I would never wish harm upon you in any way... but I am currently running across Equestria just to get a job," said Derpy, looking him straight the eyes, both of hers focused on his. "If you would harm my family, what makes you think I wouldn't run across the entire world to get you?"

For the third time, she had caught him off guard, and for the first time, she had actually managed to frighten him, if only a little. The quiet determination in her eyes, the will to get what she truly wanted at any price. It reminded him far too much of Miss Grau. She absolutely meant it, he was sure.

"Do you know what's in the package?" asked Brick.

"No, what? What could possibly have been the cause of all this trouble?" asked Derpy. At that question, she heard some agreeing mumbles around the crowd.

"What makes you think I will tell you? I just wanted to make sure you hadn't opened it. The less any outsider knows where it originated from, the better."

"Can't you please tell me anyway?" asked Derpy. "If I get to see my friends again, then I could make them at least stop bugging me about it. I really hope they haven't opened it."

"No," said Brick. It was clear from the disappointed and frustrated looks around him that Brick was the only one who knew why they were out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the woods in the middle of the night looking for a box.

"Okay, fine. Could you answer me one thing, though? It's more about the delivery itself than the package," said Derpy. "If this box is so super important, then why didn't you just travel to Manehattan via the train yourselves? Why enter it into a competition?"

Brick just glared at her, obviously and proudly not intending to respond, but one griffon behind him took a step forward. "Oh, this one stupid guy who got it from overseas in Vanhoover decided to try saving on postage. Out of all the dumb-"

Brick struck him so hard he flew past the crowd and landed on the hard floor.

"KEEP YOUR BEAK SHUT!" Brick roared, suddenly so angry he seemed to have forgotten where he was. He glanced around himself and regained his composure as the hurt griffon slowly got up on his feet again. "I'm in enough trouble already."

Derpy realized something, because it felt oddly familiar. "It was you, wasn't it?" asked Derpy. "You're the reason this mess happened."

And yet again Brick stared at her. Any other night nothing would have budged him, but this pony just kept hitting all the right nerves.

"That's why you followed us all the way from Canterlot, all the way out here! You're being reprimanded!" said Derpy.

He nervously glanced around himself, his crowd murmuring among themselves.

"I- no, I-" said Brick. Why in the world he couldn't just silence them with a glare, couldn't summon the conviction and strength to just shut them all up with a word, he failed to understand.

"It's okay! I know what it's like to mess up!" said Derpy. "I do it all the time!"

"I didn't mess up!" said Brick. "It was m- my subordinate. He's never going to fly again because of his stupid mistake, and now I suffer for it too. I need to fix this."

"What's in the box, Brick?! Why in tartarus are we all out here?! What did you drag us all into?!" yelled one of the griffons.

Brick pointed to Derpy. "Get her out of here, and I'll tell you if it gets you to shut up. The train's going to stop by soon, so make it quick."

Derpy was hauled outside of the building, still in bonds, by two ponies. They left the weak warm light and stepped out into the bright cold electric light. Shutting the door behind them, they then roughly tossed her down on the ground. They themselves were just waiting by the door, grumpy, impatient.

And after one strike from above, knocked out.

"There you are!" whispered Geld, hurrying over to free her. He tried to release her with one swift slash, but to his embarrassment his talons were too dull to cut the ropes. He had to bite them off. "Are you okay?" asked Geld. "Listen, I'm still really sorry. I know I shouldn't have lied to you, but I guess that's just how I am, alright?"

Derpy quickly rolled around, and kicked towards his face. Geld just braced himself, but realized she had missed him. A glance backwards made him realize she had kicked the pony running up behind him. The unicorn was knocked unconscious again, and this time long enough for Derpy and Geld to tie him up together with his companion.

"It's okay, Geld. I know exactly what you're like," said Derpy as she made an extra tough knot. "You're a liar and a scoundrel."

"Well, yeah-"

"You are also a dependable fellow, and right now that's something I don't mind."

"Speaking of dependable, look what I snagged from inside when no one was looking," said Geld, holding up Derpy's bag and her goggles.

"Yes!" said Derpy, grabbed the bag, but the goggles around her neck, and checked inside. Her stuff was there. Perfect.

"Okay, first thing first," said Derpy, grabbing one of the no longer usable maps and a pencil, writing a message, and then she wrapped it around a little bag of bits and put them down next to the two ponies. "Sorry," she whispered to them, hoping that what little money she had would be enough to make up for the violence. She also took out some bandages and wrapped them around the unicorn's face.

"Done. Now, where is Rainbow Dash?" asked Derpy.

"We got separated in the chaos," said Geld. "She's probably looking for you, or she's flown off towards the nearest town for help."

"Rainbow Dash is really cool. I think she'll figure out what to do," said Derpy.

"Listen, I think I hear a train, in the distance," said Geld. "We should get out of here."

"No, not yet. Brick still has a package in there!" said Derpy. "Do you have yours?"

"Sure, right here." He produced the box, and Derpy immediately stuffed it in her bag.

"How did you sneak in and out?" asked Derpy.

Geld quickly lead her around the corner, and showed off a small hole in the old wooden wall. Voices could clearly be heard from inside. They both sneaked in, and the voices became clear.

Peeking over a stack of planks, they could see the group listening to Brick, who paced back and forth among them, like a commander giving orders. With Derpy no longer bothering him, he felt like he was in control again.

Derpy spotted the statue. Box or no box, price or no price, that statue needed delivery too. Rain, snow, shine or gangsters, every package would be delivered. It was standing all innocent at the edge of the group, resting on a table that she could definitely reach, if only she could get closer...

Every time Brick looked away, she would take a few quiet steps. "Alright, listen, this doesn't leave the Big Bills, alright? If Miss Grau even suspects you talked to someone, I will personally make you regret it."

The crowd didn't say anything, but it was clear they understood. Derpy got a little closer, the statue was almost within reach.

"What's in the box is the fruit of years of research and development overseas. It contains a working prototype, as well as schematics for how to produce the individual parts that it's built with. The Big Bills back home has prepared and planned all necessary machinery to mass produce it, and are ready to start within 24 hours, once they get it."

"Okay, but what is it?" asked a female griffon.

Derpy waiting for just the proper moment, and in one swift movement she reached out and grabbed the statue, putting it in her bag. It was safe, which was more than one could say for herself. She hurried back, keeping her head down. They were almost out.

"Basically, it's a war cannon, that can fit in the palm of your claw. A clawgun," said Brick.

This made Geld stop dead in his tracks, and looked towards the gathering like they were ghosts, Derpy meanwhile just tried to grab him and get them moving.

"It can only be used by something with a claw. Hooves are useless. It's a game changer. This will change everything."

Suddenly the loud noise of a train whistle could be heard, reverberating through the building.

"Go out and get the pony!"

***

While Geld and Derpy weren't quite out of the woods just yet, both literally and figuratively, once they thought to have put enough distance between themselves and the criminals who were no doubt scrambling like crazy trying to find them, Geld had to stop.

"Geld, come on! We need to keep going!" said Derpy.

"Derpy, do you realize what that means?!" he said, gesturing wildly. He seemed almost to be in shock, the way his face couldn't seem to focus.

"Yes, the package contains a weapon. That's a bad thing, I get that. We still need to keep going."

Geld grabbed her before she could turn around, and he looked straight into her eyes. Derpy had never seen him this serious, or terrified.

"Derpy, when we started this journey together, I lied to you to make it seem like the stakes were higher than they actually were. You need to trust me when I say they were just raised through the roof. Derpy, Brick mentioned a Miss Grau... I know what this is about now, and even who Brick is! Brick is Garrick!"

"Who?" asked Derpy.

Geld let go of her and shook his head, aimlessly walking in circles. "Garrick! Grau and Garrick! They are the son and daughter of the griffon Glent!"

Derpy just looked at him. Shrugging.

"Okay, this is not something you know about. Fine! Fair! Glent is a big deal in the griffon kingdom. A while ago I told you we don't have many great leaders, it's a kingdom without a king. Glent is from a family that claims to be descendants of one King Grover!"

"Wow! I've heard of that one! Are they?" asked Derpy.

"Of course not, they claim it along with about twenty other families. The thing is, Glent is still legible to become king. If he's the one in charge of the Big Bills, then no wonder he's been able to stay in power. The bastard is probably constantly bribing folks to stay up there."

"Okay...?"

"Derpy! Glent hates Equestria, and he wants to either outdo or get rid of the competition. If this clawgun is as effective as Garrick make it out to be, and if they can mass produce it, Glent could easily get enough sway to become the true king of the griffon kingdom! Not only that, but a few of the griffons who wants to be king also wants to wage war on Equestria! They've never been taken seriously, because we don't have enough soldiers, or a decent military, and Equestria's got all kinds of magic we can never hope to outmatch!"

It dawned on Derpy. "But with a cannon that most ponies can't use that can fit in a talon..."

"Derpy, the worst case scenario is war. That said, I can't say for sure Glent would actually be crowned king, and even then, if he could stay in power long enough to declare a war, or if anyone would even let him. But! This is still a huge problem! Best case scenario is still that every Big Bill griffon will have ready access to deadly weapons! Maybe some idiots will use it to start fights with dragons!"

Geld took a deep breath. "In every scenario, someone innocent is going to die if we let them get that package. We have to destroy it!"

"No! I need to deliver it!" said Derpy.

"Okay, now who's being selfish?" asked Geld and rolled his eyes.

"Geld, if we destroy this package, or hide it, or whatever, they are just going to send for a new one wherever they got it! They might already have for all we know! We need to take this package to the authorities! Brick said it himself that this is proof against them! If we can deliver this, we can solve all problems at once!"

"We can just tell the authorities in Baltimare!" said Geld, but he stopped himself. "No, hang on, they could have ponies on the inside."

Derpy thought out loud to herself. "They don't want us to finish the race. They don't want me to finish the race, because I'm popular? Because that would be incriminating... why would it be... Geld! That's it! They don't want me to finish the race because they can think I can actually win!"

"What?"

"Do you remember what Celestia said back in Vanhoover? The winner will hand over the package to the recipient himself on stage."

"Glent will be there," said Geld. "Of course! It's not even to that degree! Everyone will have their eyes on you, even if you finish last. You're the underdog! The Big Bills are afraid ponies are going to keep an eye on the package and connect the dots. There is a risk this could ruin their plans!"

"The better I do, the more likely it is that Glent will be caught! If I can win, Glent is going to receive the package in front of all of Equestria... and in front of Princess Celestia!"

Derpy grabbed Geld, not willing to let him go. "Geld, you are with me on this, right?! You will help me win, won't you!?"

"Yes, of course! I'm all about the money, but I'm not going to let them put more lives in danger!" He glanced to the side. "There's probably a big fat reward for putting the leader of the Big Bills behind bars, though."

"Good, because I can't legally get within 50 feet of Celestia to tell her! Come on! We've wasted enough time already!"

And just like that, they took off, running into the night. Baltimare was their next destination, and beyond that: Manehattan.

A short explanation along the way, and all Geld could say was "Omnicide?!"