Art Makes the World go 'Round!

Whisper succumbed to Sneaksy's goading and reluctantly shook the spray paint she had been provided. The yellow, purple, and blue coating that encircled the can's exterior failed to represent what color the paint within truly was. "But how do you tell what color is inside? They all have the same wrap."

"I remember! That one's blueberry, this is spring green, this is royal purple, and this is gold!" Sneaksy levitated three paint cans simultaneously and presented them in a triangular display.

"R–right... So, this one's blue?" Whisper transferred the can to her mouth and prepared to spray.

"Wait!" Sneaksy waved her hooves dramatically. "You didn't shake it enough!"

"Wike whtis?" Whisper bobbed her head up and down repeatedly until the pea within the can clattered against the metal walls. It generated a satisfying pinging sound as it thoroughly mixed the paint.

"Exactly! Proceed properly painting your pony, protégé! Or whatever you're actually going to make."

Whisper froze, then transferred the can to her hoof. She... suddenly realized she hadn't actually conceived a plan.

"Art doesn't create itself, silly." Sneaksy balanced on her hind legs and motioned to the brick wall with both forelegs. "This is your canvass, a great, barren expanse unto which you shall produce your masterpiece. Mold your wet clay into a beautiful vase! Or a pot or cup or something. Whatever is deep enough to hold your ambition!"

"I don't think I'm that good yet at, um, 'molding'."

Sneaksy waved her hoof dismissively. "Pssffhh! As if! Art is for everypony. Anypony has the ability to create. It's in you! You just have to reach inside your heart and feel it."

"I think you're selling my abilities a little too much." Whisper gazed thoughtfully at the can of spray paint. She raised her head and considered the blank brick wall.

Sneaksy tapped her hooves together excitedly as she observed from the sidelines. "That's it! You're envisioning, aren't you? You're envisioning!"

"I, umm... I think so." She transferred the can to her mouth and depressed the nozzle. Hesitantly, she drew a blue stripe. Then, with further motivation from Sneaksy, another. A long rectangle, a pair of ovoid shapes, and two circles. Another pair. Thin curls. Misshapen hearts. When the outline was finished, she used purple to trace the lines and added a splash of extravagant yellow and vivid ruby red. In her intense focus, a strand of her teal and cobalt mane fell before her eyes, yet she neglected to notice.

Sneaksy tilted her head to the side as she appreciated the art from an alternative angle. "Oooh...! Aahh...!"

Whisper delicately deposited the spray paint onto the ground alongside the other cans. "I know it's not much."

"I love it! It's so you."

"But it's just a butterfly. It doesn't even look that good. I tried to make it look like its flying, but the body turned out to be so flat..." Whisper motioned to the mural she had created. The bright red hearts that adorned the butterfly's majestic purple wings weren't symmetrical. Its yellow antennae were crooked.

"You created something original that came from your heart! That takes courage! I'm proud of you. You know..." Sneaksy leaned in. "It's just like your fake cutiemark. I thought it'd looked familiar."

"M–my what?!" Whisper's spine constricted, and the hair along her back straightened in horror. "Uh, wait...!"

"Art is for everypony, Misty. Even ponies like you who are too afraid to express themselves." Sneaksy used her levitation magic to remove her rainbow respirator, which revealed her beaming smile that had been concealed beneath. "I can see you smizing! Don't deny it, you had fun."

Whisper delicately touched her masquerade piece. "Yo–you knew... all along?"

"I'd recognize one of my best friends anywhere. It's okay, I won't reveal your secret identity if you really don't want me to. When you're on the dance floor, nopony knows it's you—everypony will think Maretime Bay has a new secret street artist!"

Whisper giggled nervously. When she finally removed her masquerade mask, she tucked it into one of the pockets of her cloak.

"Hey, Misty? Art makes the world go 'round, but friends like you make my world go 'round and 'round." Izzy lowered the hood of her cape and smiled tenderly.

Misty shuffled closer. Of course, she could sense what, inevitably, was coming. When it eventually did arrive, though, she wasn't as prepared as was necessary. Izzy tackled her and squeezed her tightly in a hug, which elicited a squeak from her.

When they separated, Misty lowered her hood. "Izzy, can we, um, do this again? Soon?"

"You're smizing again~!" Izzy grinned.

Misty blushed bashfully. "Maybe you could teach me the basics of spray painting so it doesn't look so amateur?"

"Right! Starting with square one!"