The Perfect Evening

Lightning Crayon Doe stretched her yellow-gloved hands toward the ceiling of her castle bedroom. The day had been wonderfully ordinary.

"Another peaceful patrol around Wonder Artwood City," she said to herself, pulling off her yellow mask. Her small antlers caught the evening light streaming through the tall windows.

She walked to the kitchen, her blue-and-black supersuit making soft swishing sounds. The black stone walls displayed her collection of lightning bolt paintings—some she'd created herself using her giant magic crayon.

Lightning Crayon Doe opened the refrigerator and pulled out leftover pizza. She sat at her wooden table, looking out at the four yellow crayon towers that rose from each corner of her home.

The sun was setting over Wonder Artwood City. Human families and deer families were heading home from work and school. Street lights began flickering on.

She yawned and decided to go to bed early. Tomorrow would bring new adventures, she was sure of it.

The Purple Midnight Painter

Lightning Crayon Doe woke up in the middle of the night. Something was wrong.

Her bedroom walls were glowing bright purple and green. The lightning bolt paintings she had made flickered with strange orange light.

She jumped out of bed and ran to her window. All four yellow crayon towers were pulsing with weird colors—pink, blue, silver. The entire castle looked like a giant rainbow had exploded on it.

"What in Wonder Artwood City is happening?" she whispered.

Lightning Crayon Doe grabbed her yellow mask and rushed outside. The black stone walls of her castle were covered in swirling patterns of glowing paint. Every surface sparkled and shifted colors.

Down in the courtyard, she spotted a small figure hunched over a bucket. An elderly woman with wild gray hair was painting the castle walls with a large brush. Her purple dress was covered in paint splatters.

"Hey!" Lightning Crayon Doe called out. "What are you doing to my castle?"

The woman looked up with bright green eyes and smiled. "Making it beautiful, dear! Your walls were so dark and boring."

Lightning Crayon Doe summoned her giant magic crayon, electric sparks dancing around her yellow gloves.