A Matter of Credit

by shallow15

A Reason for Secrecy

“Why on earth didn't you tell me?!” Rarity yelped, causing Sunset Shimmer to look around at the other customers at Sugarcube Corner. Her friend's near-shriek had caused a few people at nearby tables to give them odd looks.

“Probably because of things like that.” Sunset gave Rarity a look of her own as she pointed at the other customers. Rarity blushed and let out an embarrassed laugh.

“Yes, of course. Heheh.” Rarity cleared her throat and she took a sip of her coffee. “But honestly, darling, why haven't you revealed this talent of yours before? How long have you been doing this?”

“The graffiti? Not long,” Sunset answered. “I did a little during my bad girl days, but I started back up a couple of months ago. I saw some really gorgeous street art online and I thought maybe Canterlot City would like some of their own.”

“But why 'Flanksy?' Why not let everyone know who has brightened the city so much?”

“Well, for starters, it's still technically illegal. I mean, I've done, what, nearly a dozen murals by now? I'm pretty sure I'm racking up enough misdemeanor charges to border on it being a minor felony. So it seemed like a good idea to use an alias in order to keep people guessing.”

“Well, obviously, yes,” Rarity said, leaning forward. “But, how long have you been an artist, darling? The skill in your pieces indicate you must have been doing this for years!”

Sunset smiled, blushing slightly. “Well, back in Equestria, before I left, I spent a lot of time drawing and painting. When I was a filly, I used to go through a box of crayons a week.”

Sunset's expression became sad and wistful. “Mom used to sculpt when I was younger. There were whole days we'd spend in her studio. Her working the clay, me scribbling with crayons. Dad loved seeing what we had made when he got home from work. My drawings wound up covering the walls of the studio before – ”

Sunset sniffled and wiped her nose and eyes. She smiled at Rarity. “Sorry. Didn't mean to get all sappy.”

Rarity smiled back. “It's quite all right. Did you keep up your art when you came here?”

Sunset sighed. While she appreciated that her friends never pressed her on those rare occasions she talked about her parents, she still didn't like to remember her last days in Equestria.

“By that point, I was more concerned with getting what I thought I deserved from the Princess. I don't think I had done any sort of artwork for a few years. When I got myself set up over here and enrolled in school, I did take a couple of art classes and aced them. But I never really focused all that much on it.”

“So what happened?” Rarity asked. “Even after your reformation, I don't recall you ever showing any sort of artistic inclinations. Well, there was that first sleepover when we looked over my rejected designs, but otherwise, you never really seemed to show an interest.”

“Pinkie happened.” Sunset took sip of her latte. “We had an art class last semester, and she was looking for inspiration. She wound up using me as a subject. I had been working on a still life of sunflowers, which she kind of made a mess out of, but when I saw how happy she was that she figured out what to paint, it made me remember how much I enjoyed making art.

“And, to be honest, I'd been kind of at a loss of what to do with myself ever since the Friendship Games. After I felt we'd all become real friends, and I got my confidence back, I realized I didn't really have a direction in my life. I mean, dealing with magic that shows up is cool and all, but it's not exactly a marketable skill.”

“Not a lot of job openings for wizards out there,” Rarity agreed. “Although, you could probably make a killing as a mentalist now.”

“No thanks,” Sunset replied. “I'd rather not have Trixie hounding me for stealing her shtick.”

The two girls laughed. Rarity picked up her cup and gestured at Sunset. “So is it just the legality that's kept you from letting anyone know about your talents?”

“Not really,” Sunset replied. “I've thought about focusing on it more seriously, but I don't want to force it. Right now, I just want to enjoy the process of creating. Maybe I'll think about making a career out of it somewhere down the line, but for right now, I'm actually kind of happy seeing how other people react to what I do without them knowing I did it. And so far, everyone seems to like it.”

“Oh, I know. It's been the talk of the town for weeks. There's even petitions to have some of your murals protected so the weather doesn't destroy them. The mayor said the city council is considering it.”

Sunset blinked. “Really?”

Rarity nodded. “It was in the newspaper last week. Didn't you see?”

Sunset shrugged. “I don't really bother with local news all that much.”

“Well, that must make you happy, knowing that people appreciate your art.”

“It does.” Sunset sipped her coffee again, then quirked an eyebrow. Rarity had an expression on her face that she didn't like. It was a face that usually spelled trouble.

Rarity was plotting.

“No,” Sunset said, pointing at her friend.

“What?” Rarity sat up in her chair.

“Whatever idea you've got hatching up there to appeal to your sense of drama, the answer is no.”

“I'm not plotting anything!” Rarity protested, placing a hand on her chest. “You wound me, Sunset, darling!”

“And when you start acting like you're on the latest episode of The Young and the Sleepless, I know you're up to something.”

Rarity sputtered. “Pfft-tsk-tch! Sunset Shimmer, I swear upon my reputation as Canterlot High's Queen of Chic that I am not plotting anything you would disapprove of.”

Sunset folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. Rarity sat back in her chair and fixed Sunset with a similar expression. The two stared each other down for a few minutes before Rarity finally gave up.

“Oh, all right, I admit I had an idea of you revealing yourself when the city finally gives you the credit you so richly deserve and the look on everyone's faces! Oh, the gasps of wonder and adulation!”

Sunset let out an exasperated sigh. “Did you not hear me when I just said I'm not interested in credit?”

“But why not, darling? If I had your talent, and my artwork made such an impact, I'd shout it from the rooftops!”

“And that's fine for you, but I'm not looking for fame, Rarity. I just want to make art people enjoy. And even then, I have to enjoy it first. Think it through. Yes, people would know who I am. And you know what would happen next? The hounding for commissions. People wanting to know how much I'd charge for an original work. The next thing I know, I'm drowning in doing work for other people.”

“And what's wrong with that?” Rarity asked. “You'd be making money doing something you love. It has to be a better source of income than the sushi place at the mall.”

Sunset frowned. “I happen to like my job, thanks. And here's the catch to me being an artist full time. Sooner or later, that's all I'd be doing. Maybe I'm overestimating the demand, but if my work became that popular, the next thing you know, I'm blowing off everything to try to get all the commissions done. Then I'm not creating anything for myself, much less being able to get out there and do art for everyone to enjoy.

“I don't want credit right now because I don't want to start hating the thing I love doing. If all I do is artwork, when does that leave me time for school? For band practice? For all of you? I don't want one aspect of my life taking all the rest of it away from me.”

“That wouldn't happen,” Rarity replied. “You're far too organized and level headed for that.”

“Maybe,” Sunset answered. “But for now, I'm trying a bunch of different stuff on for size. Art isn't the only thing I'm interested in doing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Remember what I said about trying to figure out what to do with my life after the Friendship Games? Well, after the whole mess with Juniper and the mirror, I had another revelation. I was obsessing over the magic so much that it was taking up nearly all the time I was spending alone. Art's been one of the ways I've been trying to work out what I want to do.”

“Video games being another?” Rarity smirked. Sunset giggled.

“Yes, video games is another. Believe it or not, when I first came here, video games and the guitar was how I worked out the mechanics of hands. Now I have the time for all three. But I want them all to be fun. I want the games to be fun. I want the band to be fun. But most of all, I want the art to be fun. And in order to keep it fun, I'd rather not have anybody know I'm doing it.”

Rarity frowned. “But if that's the case, darling, why did you let me see you this morning after you had finished the display?”

Sunset's smile returned. “You really can't figure it out?”

“No. If you don't want credit, why reveal yourself to me?”

“Because I love you, you dope.”

Rarity's eyes widened and she blushed. “Sunset...”

“You're getting that Young and the Sleepless look again,” Sunset smirked. “You know what I mean. I love you and I love the rest of the girls. Without all of you, I wouldn't have found my way to where I am now. I wouldn't have discovered how much I love making art, or playing the guitar, or any of the other things I like to do.”

She reached out and took Rarity's hand. “Princess Twilight may have started me on the road to redemption, but you girls helped me complete it. And if I can use what skills I have to help you and the others, you can bet it'll never be enough to repay you all for everything you've done for me.”

“You don't need to repay me, Sunset,” Rarity said softly. “And I don't think the other girls would expect repayment either. You're our friend.”

“I know. You're all my friends. The first friends I ever really had.” Sunset sniffled again, and felt her eyes water. “Sorry. I'm getting maudlin.”

Rarity sniffled in response, her own eyes watering. “Oh. Come here!”

She slid around the table and the two girls embraced. Rarity leaned over and whispered in Sunset's ear.

“I love you too, Sunset. And don't you ever feel you owe me anything. It has been my pleasure to assist you on your journey.”

The two hugged again and separated. They took a moment to collect themselves. Rarity dabbed her eyes and delicately blew her nose.

“Well, I suppose I can stand to keep this ludicrously juicy secret to myself. You do want me to keep it to myself?”

Sunset grinned. “For now. Who knows? Maybe Flanksy will be able to help out the other girls at some point.”

“Ooh, I do hope so!” Rarity squealed. She blinked as a thought came to her. “One thing, though. I know Ms. Hemline's meticulous about locking up the boutique at closing. So how did you get inside to finish the display?”

Sunset blushed and let out a nervous laugh. She reached into the pocket of her jacket and produced a roll of cloth. She looked around at the other patrons of the coffee shop, then quickly unrolled the cloth, revealing an impressive collection of lockpicks.

“Um, let's just say that graffiti isn't my only less than legal skill.”