Gossip Spreads Quick

Derpy and Roseluck sat around their normal table while waiting for Trixie, Shoeshine and Silverspeed ordered their milk shakes. They had invited Sunset along but she had been vague when she said she had something going on. All she said was business and left it at that.

They learned to not question when Sunset was on the hunt for something or somepony. Best thing to do was stay out of her way. Sunset preferred to keep her off the clock business quiet, especially from Celestia.

“So what happened yesterday night?” Shoeshine asked as the other three returned and slid Derpy and Roseluck their respective beverages. “The Mayor was in a really good mood today.”

Silverspeed burst out laughing and draped her forelegs on the table with her head on top of them.

“What is going on?” Roseluck asked after a moment and Silverspeed continued laughing.

“I have no idea,” Derpy muttered and Silverspeed wiped some tears out of her eyes with a giggle.

“Oh man,” Silverspeed chuckled and took a sip of her vanilla shake. “Last night was amazing!”

“Why, did Sunset finally eat your kitty cat?” Trixie asked and the table burst out laughing.

“My kitty cat?” Silverspeed gave her a confused look. “I don’t own a cat.”

“Nothing,” Trixie waved a hoof and snickered behind a hoof. “Carry on, what made last night so amazing.”

“So you all know Spoiled Rich, right?” Silverspeed asked and they all scowled. Everypony knew Spoiled Rich and most wished they didn’t.

“Yeah. Spoiled Bitch,” Shoeshine quipped and the table laughed again.

“Anyway. She came to visit Sunset unannounced yesterday. She and Sunset got into it bad. Spoiled Rich said stuff how Ponyville was made by earth ponies for earth ponies and not outsiders. Sunset was not happy and called her out. Brought up her love life, her husband cheating on her and more. Sunset barely let her get a word in,” Silverspeed explained and clapped her hooves together excitedly. “I even got to escort her out. And use my spear. Have her a few prods. Part of me wishes Sunset allowed me to run her through. It was like a battle of wills, them staring each other down with cold glares.”

“Woah,” Derpy muttered and bit into her muffin Shoeshine had paid for. “She’s a bully and I don’t like bullies. I don’t like Diamond Tiara either. I don’t trust her with my daughter or Silver Spoon.”

“Same,” Silverspeed agreed readily and folded her wings on her back. “Afraid of Silver Spoon following in her hoof steps.”

“She will be fine. She’s got you to keep her straight,” Roseluck commented and winked. “The scary older Royal Guard sister? She’ll behave.”

“I hope so. But Sunset is apparently meeting with Spoileds maids to get dirt on her. Left with a big bag of bits and promised to catch up later. She refused to let me help. Something about not wanting me to get dishonorable discharged,” Silverspeed tapped a hoof against her chin.

“Not surprised. Has anypony seen that zebra come back?” Trixie asked and Shoeshine shook her head.

“Comes into town every week. Surprised you never saw her. She should be back Monday on the dot.”

Veronica trotted slowly with aching hooves till her small house on the edge of town appeared and she smiled for the first time today. Working for the Riches as a maid was more stressful than she had originally been led to believe when she got hired.

The purple mare was eager to take her stupid saddle off and lay down before she had to go to work again in the morning, fitting a key in her door and turning it.

What she didn’t expect was a fiery maned unicorn sitting on her couch with a bored expression.

“Can I help you?” Veronica asked nervously and the mare smiled at her in a way that made her shuddered.

“Yeah, you can. Names Sunset Shimmer. Sit,” Sunset gestured and kicked a saddlebag aside. “Believe it or not, I’m here in your best interests.”

“What?” Veronica asked in confusion before tossing her hat onto the table followed by her frilly black and white saddle. “I mean, what interests are those?”

“Getting rid of a problem. You work for Spoiled Rich.” It wasn’t about question. Veronica nodded slowly and Sunset smiled again. “Excellent.”

Her horn flashed for a second and the two were surrounded by a pink bubble as Veronica tapped it gently with a hoof in confusion.

“Sound proofing spell. In case she or anypony associated with her is listening,” Sunset explained at her quizzical look. “I need some things done. I’ll make it worth you and your colleagues time.”

“Uhm like what?”

“I need some files. Innocent files, of course,” Sunset gave a predatory grin that made Veronica recoil. “You see, I hate Spoiled Rich. With a burning passion after last night. So I need files of their finances, business dealings and anything else that might be shady.”

Veronica gulped nervously and shifted on her couch. She didn’t really like the idea of potentially angering Miss Rich. She was well, scary. She knew a lot of powerful ponies and Veronica was just a simple maid with a cutie mark of a pan.

“I don’t know. She’s scary,” Veronica admitted finally and rested a hoof on her arm rest.

“She’s not that scary compared to me when I’m mad,” Sunset scoffed and Veronica glanced at her. “Like I said, I’ll make it worth your while.” She nodded to a bag on the table. “Inside is twenty thousand bits from my personal allowance and savings from the Princess. Once I get what I need, you get the rest upon completion. And a better job for you and your colleagues if everything goes to plan working for me.”

Veronica’s eyes widened as she stared at the bag. She hadn’t seen that much bits in her entire life time. All of her paycheck went to rent and groceries. Occasionally her other co worker, Lily View had to help with rent. Her finances were a bit more in order.

“I’ll try. But their offices are locked down tight. We’re only allowed in there if we need to clean,” Veronica shook her head and Sunset chewed her lip thoughtfully.

“Okay. I’ll come up with something. We’ll have to be careful when we meet from now on. I heard she’s sketchy about her business from the ponies I talked to,” Sunset mused and pushed the bag of bits to the purple mare. She stood to leave and Veronica peered inside the bag.

“H-hey wait!” Sunset glanced back at her with the doorknob glowing in her magic. “Y-you promise you’ll look after me and hire me, Lily and Randolph? We won’t be tossed out on the street? No more abusive words, nothing?”

Sunset let go of the door handle and trotted back to Veronica and held her hoof.

“I promise you I won’t leave you behind.”