Morning at the Tower

Pen Buck stretched his arms wide as morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Pen Deer Tower. The futuristic building sparkled like a giant ballpoint pen reaching toward the clouds above Chapter Wood City.

"Another beautiful day to protect the city," he said, adjusting his dark blue and black supersuit. His ink-splat mask sat perfectly over his alert dark eyes.

His giant magic ballpoint pen hummed softly on his utility belt. The glowing weapon had never let him down before—not once in three years of superhero work.

A cheerful ping came from his phone. Pen Buck picked it up and read the notification that made his small antlers perk up with excitement.

"The Great Pen Competition? Chapter Wood City's annual writing contest?" His warm brown fur practically bristled with enthusiasm. "Prize money of ten thousand dollars!"

He grinned, imagining how easy this would be. With his magic pen, writing perfect stories would be simple as breathing.

The Fine Print

Pen Buck bounded down the spiral staircase of Pen Deer Tower, his hooves clicking against the metal steps. He couldn't wait to register for the competition.

The registration booth sat in Chapter Wood City's main square, surrounded by bustling crowds. A smart woman with short black hair sat behind a folding table, stamping papers with quick efficiency.

"Name?" she asked without looking up.

"Pen Buck. I'm here for The Great Pen Competition."

She glanced up, her green eyes widening slightly at his superhero suit. "Right. The contest starts in one hour at the city amphitheater. No magic allowed."

Pen Buck's small antlers drooped. "No magic?"

"Rules clearly state: natural writing ability only. No supernatural assistance." She handed him a clipboard. "Sign here."

His confident grin faded as he stared at the form. Without his magic pen, he'd have to write like everyone else. He'd never actually written anything without magic before.

"Problem?" the woman asked.

Pen Buck straightened his shoulders and signed his name with a regular ballpoint pen. "No problem at all."

But his hand trembled slightly as he wrote.