Stroke of the Brush

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

#10 of Forbidden Pleasures

HOLY CRAP!!!!! Its been WAY to long since I did anything. And I apologize for that. Things have been crazy with covid and other stuff that I won't go into. But needless to say, I'm back and hopefully will be pumping out these stories more often. I'll also be going back to a few other series and working on them as well. For this one, I went with just one pokemon, Primarina. Something about her just seems.....majestic. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!!!!!


"I love it so far," the lady said, leaning over the shoulder of the young man sitting on the stool.

The young man chuckled as he bumped the lady back gently so she wouldn't lean on his shoulder and mess up his stroke.

"You love everything I do mom," he smiled, moving his hand lightly over the painting he was doing.

"Because you do it so well hun. I never thought you would grow up to be such a talented and well known artist at your age," she beamed happily, walking over to the next room out of sight as his ears picked up the sound of dishes being moved.

"What can I say? I guess I just love to draw."

The young man in question was Kyle Frost. He started drawing at the age of six when he was watching an art show with his mom. It captivated him as he watched the artists move the brush with precision, creating such a vibrant and alive picture. The next day he begged his mom to take him to an art store and get him some supplies.

Once he got them, he never stopped. Laughing and giggling as he drew on paper after paper. In middle school he took art classes, learning how to do the basic things such as buildings, trees, grass, and other stuff. In high school, he took more advanced classes, learning how to draw the body, environments, and backgrounds. Suffice to say, he excelled in all aspects, impressing his teachers as they put up most of his art work around the school.

His mom got him into a well known college of art where his skills increased even more. Some of the professors were shocked at his attention to detail and excellent brush stroke and technique. They even held a talent showcase during graduation where well known business companies come to look at the next aspiring artists. It was almost a bidding war for his talent to be in their company. He went with Kanto Illustrations cause it was closer to where he lived.

Their sales skyrocketed to see the wonderful pictures and drawings he did. He became the youngest artist to get an award for the best artists as well as other small awards from shows he went to.

"What do you want to eat hun?" his mom asked from the kitchen.

"Anything is good for me," he replied, putting his brush down before standing up and stretching.

He walked into the kitchen to see her humming away, chopping up some food to make their lunch.

"You know hun, you could always come work with me when you're not doing anything or need inspiration."

His mom was a great accountant, handling lots of businesses finances and money. Most companies came to her for her great ways of handling tight times and other things that would otherwise bring them down. She taught Kyle lots of things when he wasn't busy with art school so he would have something to fall back on in case his trade didn't work out for him.

"I know mom. Maybe I might when I need a break soon. Don't want to get carpal tunnel."

"That is something I might get soon messing with all these businesses and people. But I love the high pace of things and dealing with deadlines."

"If that's what you deal with on a daily basis, I'll have to pass then," Kyle chuckled.

"You'll get used to it after a month or so. Then it'll just be like painting a picture, it'll come naturally."

Kyle smiled at that as his mom started cooking everything, the smell of food making his stomach grumble. In only a few minutes, his mom made a nice stir fry as she presented him with a plate along with a cup of freshly made fruit smoothie. He ate with a smile, loving the various spices and herbs she added to the veggies and chicken to give it that kick.

"Is that picture you're working on for a project?"

"Yes. They wanted me to draw something that I have dreamt of lately. And that is something that comes to me sometimes."

The dream in question was a person sitting on top of a hill, overlooking a small town on a pier. The tree he was sitting under looked like it was swaying with an invisible breeze as leaves fell to the ground. Small ships docked with large sails that were rolled up. Barrels could be seen on the wooden dock as people were carrying one or counting them. The water was crystal blue, a mountain in the far background with its top being covered in snow. The sun was high in the blue sky with birds floating in the sky.

"That is pretty impressive that you dream of that and can remember such detail."

"It shocked me as well. But I guess I have a good memory."

"Something you need in the accountant business as well."

"Still pushing that on me I see?" Kyle said, taking a sip of the smoothie.

She shrugged her shoulders, giving him a smile before her phone clattered on the counter top. Getting up, she grabbed it and looked at the ID before huffing and answering.

"This is Angela. Seriously? Fine. I'll be down as soon as I can. Make sure you have EVERY piece of paper and detail laid out for me when I get there," she said, hanging up and facepalming herself.

"Sounds like a fun time," Kyle added.

"I don't know why I even bother sometimes. But it is what it is. Can you clean up for me?" she asked, grabbing her keys off the hook on the wall.

"You got it."

"Thanks hun," she said, kissing his forehead before leaving.

Kyle nodded his head before finishing his food. Once that was done, he gathered both plates along with the dirty pans and started to clean them before leaving them on the rack to dry. Drying his own hands, he walked back into the living room and sat back down on the stool, full of energy now that he got some food in his stomach and a bit of a clear mind. Grabbing his brush, he began to get back into his painting, making sure to fix any errors as best as he could, which there were hardly any cause he made sure to do everything exactly as his dream was. After about an hour in, his own phone started to ring on the end table. Putting his stuff down, he got off his stool to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Kyle buddy. What's going on guy?" an excited voice said on the other end.

"What's up Stan?"

"What are you up to right now?"

"Trying to finish a project I had in my head."

"Screw that and let's go out and hang. It's been a minute and there's some new stores in the mall."

Kyle chuckled at that and looked at the time which only read one forty five in the afternoon. He had been painting since six in the morning so maybe a stretch and some fresh air would do him some good.

"Yeah sure, why not."

"Awesome sauce. I'm already heading your way cause I knew you say yes. Be there in about five minutes."

Kyle shook his head with a chuckle before jogging up the stairs to his room and throwing on something decent, a nice pair of khaki pants and a button up shirt. He walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair. Just as he finished, there was a beeping in the driveway. Hopping down the stairs, he grabbed his keys and headed out, locking the door behind him and setting the alarm. Jumping into the front seat, he gave Stan a fist bump before buckling up.

"Good to see you Kyle."

"You to Stan. So where are we going?"

"To the Articuno Plaza."

/////////

The mall came into view with a big cut out of the majestic Articuno on the roof of it. Even if it was a cardboard cut out, it looked somewhat real as it seemed to sparkle at the tail as the sun beamed down on it. Kyle had to wonder who the artist was that did that and what kind of paint they used to make that effect happen. Finding a spot, they both got out and started to head inside.

"Dude, have you tried picking up a cute girl yet?" Stan asked with a grin.

"Not really. To focused on my projects for Kanto Illustrations to even bother," Kyle shrugged.

"Damn dude. You gotta live life. Get laid."

Kyle rolled his eyes at that.

"Anyway, where are these new stores you wanted to show me?"

"Killjoy. They're on the second floor."

They took the stairs up, taking two at a time. Stan showed him the new stores, first one being a sort of thrift shop that had all kinds of old and new stuff. Stuff he never seen before but his mom probably had. He couldn't help but take a look around, finding all kinds of interesting stuff. He would definitely have to bring her.

Second was the Hypno Bookstore. Kyle was an avid reader of anything art related so he could keep up with the latest news and info. Plus he loved looking at all the various art styles that people did, inspiring him to come up with his own style and brush stroke.

Last store Stan showed him was Clefairy Arts. And Kyle was instantly in love. Not only did it have a cute billboard of a Clefairy holding paint brushes, but it held almost every kind of paint and brush he could dream of.

"Hot damn Stan. You finally hit gold," Kyle said hurrying in as he took a look around like a kid in a candy shop.

"You're telling me that none of the other stores I showed you have value?"

"Of course they have value. This is just a place that responds to me positively."

"I noticed. Well I'm gonna head to the food court. Do you want anything?"

"Nah I already ate. Thanks though," Kyle said, disappearing into the aisle as Stan shook his head and left.

Kyle wandered through the aisle, looking at the various brands of paint brushes, from angular shader, to chisel blender, to dagger stripper. The store he went to never had these kinds of choices being a smaller shop. But he still went to them. He was so involved with looking that he didn't see the person next to him and bumped into them making them drop what they were holding.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Kyle said, looking down and gathering the stuff he made them drop.

"It's okay," a soft, kind voice replied.

Once he gathered everything, he stood back up and looked into the eyes of a cute girl. He blushed a little before handing her back her stuff.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"It was no problem. It was my fault for bumping into you. I kind of got lost in all the selection of brushes they had," Kyle said, rubbing the back of his head.

She looked at him a bit before going wide-eyed.

"You're Kyle Frost aren't you?"

"Guilty of that. Who might you be if I may ask?"

"Cathy Cross. Pleasure to meet you."

Kyle smiled, holding his hand out as she shook it. Something rubbed against his leg making him look down to see a Delcatty.

"Oh, that's Sherry. She's my buddy and muse."

"Catty," Sherry replied with a wag of her tail.

"Well that's always a good thing to have."

"So Mr. Frost, what brings you to Clefairy Arts?"

"Please, just Kyle will do. My friend dragged me here saying there were new stores in the plaza and that I should check them out. And I'm glad I did."

Cathy chuckled at that as Sherry climbed up on her shoulder and laid there, purring happily as she got her chin scratched.

"Hey dude, are you ready to go?" Stan asked, turning the corner to see him speaking with Cathy making him smile wide. "And who is this lovely lady?"

"This is Cathy and her partner Sherry. We were just talking about art," Kyle said.

"Sweet. Hey, I got a call asking to come in for work so I need to drop you off back home."

"Okay. Was nice meeting you Cathy and here's hoping we can discuss more art together."

"I look forward to it," she smiled before giving a short bow of her head and walking past them both.

Stan couldn't help but grin as he threw his arm around his shoulder.

"You snagged a hottie there."

"It's not like that," Kyle huffed. "It's just two people sharing common interests."

"Uh huh. You can tell me all about it in the car. You did get her number right?"

////////

The next morning found Kyle in school, taking notes as the teacher rambled on about history. His mind drifted briefly to Cathy. She was kind of cute and they shared the love of art. His phone vibrated in his pocket as he took it out and looked at the message. It was from Kanto Illustrations asking him to swing by the office once school was all done. He wondered what that was all about cause they only called him into the office if it was something important. Shrugging his shoulders, he put his phone away and continued to listen to the history teacher until the chime sounded signaling the end of class.

"For homework tonight, do pages fifty nine through sixty five. Don't forget you have a test coming up so I expect everyone to study up and pass with flying colors. Have a good day!"

Everyone gathered their stuff and started to leave the classroom, talking to each other and chuckling lightly. Kyle felt his stomach rumble as he pulled his phone out again and looked at the time which read one in the afternoon.

"Lunch time for me seeing as I don't have class until two."

Hefting his bag on his shoulder, he walked out on campus, waving hi to some people as he walked down the street. Since it was lunch time, he headed to the one place that he loved more then anything as the chime on the door sounded when he entered the Charizard Flame Burger.

"Well well if it isn't Mr. Kyle," the cook said looking out the window hearing the chime.

"Hey Jared," Kyle smiled, taking a seat on the stool after setting his backpack down.

"Come here for the usual hun?" a waitress asked him with a smile.

"You know it Betty."

She gave him a wink before writing down his order on a slip of paper and hooking it to the spinning rack. Grab a large glass, she scooped some ice and filled it with some diet soda before setting it down in front of him on a coaster.

"Thank you again for the wonderful art piece you did for us."

Kyle looked behind him and over the door was the painting he did for them. It was basically the diner in a nice setting with pedestrians walking by and an image of a Charizard on the roof doing a flamethrower.

"Think nothing of it. I figured I would do something for you guys since you make the best burgers around."

Jared laughed from the kitchen as he placed an order on the window sill.

"Look at you with flattery. But you have our thanks for doing something like that for us."

After another five minutes, his order came up. A nice double cheeseburger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. The meat was seasoned to perfection and each bite made you want to take another and another. The fries in a separate plate were crispy as he dunked a few in the mayo cup before munching down.

His food was gone in a matter of minutes as he swallowed down the rest of the soda and let out a sigh of being full. Betty came by and took his dishes away before coming back with a slice of cake and a small scoop of ice cream.

"On the house hun."

Kyle smiled at that before enjoying the dessert with each scoop he brought into his mouth.

"Awesome as always Jared," he said, setting the spoon down and standing up.

"Thank you kindly," Jared replied, setting another dish on the sill for an order. "Have a good day and don't draw for too long. You need to walk around, you know."

"Thanks dad," he said with a laugh, leaving money along with a nice tip for them both before leaving.

Having a full stomach, he looked at his phone seeing he had ten minutes to get to class. He started his walk back to campus, listening to the random chatter from classmates. Getting to class, he took his seat next to Stan who fist bumped him.

"Ready for a headache with math?"

"It's pretty easy with a parent in accounting," Kyle chuckled.

Class seemed to roll by quickly as he got his homework assignment for the night. Once that was done, he gathered his things and headed out, remembering that he had to head to the office for something. He caught the bus home, not living too far away from school as he placed his stuff in his room before grabbing his ID badge along with his bike and headed to work.

He hummed a small tune in his head as he pedaled down the road in the city. The familiar building came into view as he pedaled on towards the front door. Locking the bike up, he walked inside and was greeted by the plush, beige carpet as maintenance was cleaning.

"Hey Kyle," the man said, turning off the steam cleaner and taking the headphones out of his ears.

"Hey Phil!"

"What brought you here today?"

"Boss wants to see me for something."

"Always fun. Well, don't keep her waiting."

"Yep. Take care and don't work too hard."

"You know me," Phil chuckled, turning back on the steamer and popping his headphones back in.

Kyle waved hi to the front desk attendant who waved back as he pressed his badge to open the sliding gate and into the building. The building was small as the halls were aligned with pictures done by various artists that were still there or moved on. He wished some were still there cause he wanted to learn from them about their techniques. Reaching the end of the hall, he stopped at the door marked Delories Aimes before giving it a few knocks, hearing a come in as he opened the door.

Inside was a nice executive office setup. An L shape desk sat in front of a window, looking out towards a park as a breeze made the trees sway. Two leather chairs sat in front of the desk as a sofa stood against the wall which was occupied by a Pichu. On the wall over the sofa was a large collection of pictures and paintings. The Pichu laying on the couch perked up and gave a happy squeak seeing Kyle as it jumped into his lap as soon as he sat down making him laugh.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked Deloris as she hung up the phone.

"Yes I did. Sorry for just doing that out of the blue."

"It's not a problem. So what's up?"

"We got a client that wants a few pictures turned into art. And I couldn't think of anybody better then you. Do you think you can do it, or would like to do it?"

"I mean, recreating something from a photo isn't hard to do but it also depends on the actual photo and all the details."

She pulled out a drawer of the desk and reached in before taking out a few photos and sliding them over to Kyle.

"You can choose which one to recreate. I'll give the other photos to other people."

Kyle looked through the four photos that were given to him along with the Pichu. One of them was a simple one of a boy and his Houndoom underneath a tree with smiles on their face. Another was a girl flying on the back of a Dragonite, the clouds floating past them in the sky. The third was of a Lapras and Dewgong underneath the water playing. The last one which he was thinking about, was a Butterfree and a Bellossom in a beautiful field of flowers.

"Might go with this one," he said, showing her the picture.

"Okay. I'll make sure the other photos are given to the other artists I have in mind. I figured I'd give you first choice since you are somewhat of a star," she chuckled.

"I'm not that much of a big deal," he smiled.

"You kidding me? Our sales have skyrocketed ever since you've been here. Our magazines are selling out and our art shows are drawing more attention then ever before. So yeah, you are a star."

Kyle blushed a little, rubbing the back of his head before giving the Pichu a scratch behind one of its ears, making it squeak in happiness and lean into it.

"When does it have to be done by?"

"No time limit. Just get it done when you get it done. The client is a patient person."

"Okay. I'll get on it as soon as I can."

"Great. Thanks for doing this."

"Not a problem. I'll get started on it as soon as I finish the other project you gave me," he smiled, giving the Pichu another scratch behind the ear before getting up.

He looked at the picture again as he walked down the hall, trying to take in all the details before stepping outside. Sliding it in his pocket, he hopped on his bike and headed home for the day.

/////////

Kyle sat outside on his stool, brush in hand as he drew in the warm sun. He was almost finished with the dream picture he had been assigned as he was adding the finishing touches. Right after this was done, he figured he might as well start on the photo. The sounds of chirping birds could be heard in the afternoon sky as he reached over to his right and grabbed the cup of ice tea that was sitting there, condensation pooling underneath as he took a drink.

"Not bad. I think I captured it all. Still can't believe I remembered all of this."

Adding a few more strokes, he stopped and crossed his arms, giving a smile at his finished work.

"I hope Delories likes this. It was a pain to do."

His stomach growled as it was time for some lunch seeing as he was working on this since he got up. Placing his stuff down on the small stool, he got up and stretched before heading inside. He saw his mom at the table working on paperwork and talking on the phone. She looked up as Kyle entered and smiled.

"Hey Rick, I'll call you back when you have everything for me. Goodbye. Hey there kiddo. All done out there?" she asked.

"Yeah. Finally finished it and came in for something to eat."

"Think you can make me something as well? I've been swamped with work and I haven't had time."

"Sure thing."

Opening the fridge, he looked around for something simple to make. He grabbed some lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, ham, and cheese. Placing them on the counter top, he started to make a nice salad. It didn't take long as he had two plates ready and sat down next to her.

"Thanks son," she smiled, digging in while still writing away.

"They got you busy today?"

"Stupidly busy."

An idea popped into her head as she looked at Kyle with a sweet smile.

"Would you care to help me since you are done with your project?"

Kyle did a double take before rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't know. I have no clue what you are doing."

"It's very simple. All you have to do is just add stuff. Everything that is highlighted in yellow you add and the stuff highlighted in blue, subtract after you added everything in yellow. Pretty simple right?"

"I guess so."

"Great!" she beamed happily, sliding him a huge stack of papers with a smile.

"Seriously?" Kyle chuckled, being lured into the trap as he slid his empty plate to the side.

She handed him a desk calculator as they both work. It was actually pretty easy as he did what she said, going through paper after paper. Angela watched with a smile as he punched in numbers on the machine and wrote with the other hand.

"See, you're a natural," she chuckled, finishing up on her paper before going to another.

"Only cause you gave me something simple to do."

"It gets easier the more you do it hun," she smiled, going to another paper.

It was pretty easy Kyle noticed as he went through paper after paper with relative ease. Maybe this wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. It didn't take that long to finish either as that huge stack of paper he was given was done in about an hour, give or take a few minutes.

"Thanks a bunch hun. That really helped me out a lot," Angela smiled as she gathered the papers and started to sort them out before slapping a paperclip on them and sliding them into her briefcase.

"Glad to help mom. I'm just surprised at how easy it was. Thought it would be much harder then that."

"It's not always hard hun. Just a lot of adding, subtracting, and adding some more," she chuckled.

Kyle nodded at that before grabbing the dirty plates and started to wash them off along with the utensils he used. As soon as he was done with that, his phone rang on the table as he dried his hands to answer it.

"This is Kyle."

"Hey Kyle, it's Deloris."

"Hey boss."

"Listen, there is an art show that we are a part of and have a few of your paintings on display. I was wondering if you can swing by there and make an appearance?"

"I should be able to. I just finished up my dream project and was going to wait a bit to start on the picture."

"Great! I'll text you the address. It doesn't start until around five so it should give you plenty of time to prepare."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Perfect. Thanks again Kyle."

Kyle hung up and let out a sigh before his phone dinged, more then likely with the address of the art show.

"Sounds like you're a busy person also," Angela chuckled.

"I guess so. Didn't really ask to be this famous. I just like to do what I do best."

"And look where you are now? One of the top artists around that has worked hard to get where they are at. Not many people can say they did the same."

"Probably right," he said, taking a look at the address. "Hmm. Buses don't go along that route so I guess it's biking for me."

He saw that it didn't start until five like Deloris said and he had about an hour and half hour to get ready. Heading up to his room, he grabbed a pair of boxers before taking a quick shower. Once that was done, he went back to his room and looked in his closet for something to wear.

"Maybe I should look somewhat decent."

Nodding his head, he picked out a nice pair of black slacks with a short sleeve button up blue shirt.

"Alright, let's get dressed and head on over."

Getting dressed and looking at himself in the mirror, he combed his hair down before heading back downstairs as he saw his mom getting ready to leave herself.

"Heading out?" she asked.

"Yeah. Boss wants me to head to an art show where my stuff is on display. Kind of make an appearance and promote the company."

"Well I have to hurry back to the office. I would give you a ride but I'm short on time."

"It's no problem. I'm leaving early to ride over there myself."

"Okay. Be safe hun."

He watched her leave before heading out on his bike himself, making sure the house was locked up before going.

//////////

The bike ride itself took about forty five minutes as he took a few back roads to get there. When he arrived, he saw lots of cars parked there along with a news van.

"Great. She didn't tell me about the news people being here."

Looking at his watch, he saw he had about twenty minutes so he found a place for his bike and locked it up before heading in, leaving his helmet on the handle bars. It was pretty packed as he managed to squeeze his way through before he saw the area for his company and the art they had on display. Walking over, he smoothed down his shirt and hair before taking a look at each picture.

He knew a few of the pictures cause they were made by the artists that were still there and gave him some advice on certain brush strokes, paint choices, and paper uses. He took in everything and it made people like him as he wanted to learn and improve upon himself in achieving greater heights.

"Well well, if it isn't Mr. Frost."

He turned to his left to see Cathy standing there with a smile.

"Wow. Hey there Cathy. You look really nice," he smiled, seeing she was wearing a nice simple outfit consisting of a simple one piece dress with straps around the shoulders. The black color brought out her golden brown with silver loops in her ears. Her crystal blue eyes looked at him, a blush on her face as she smiled.

"Well thank you. You look handsome yourself."

"Where's your partner at?"

"I left him at home. I don't think he would like being around this many people. What brings you here?"

"Here to promote the company and my art pieces."

"Well they choose the right person for it."

Kyle chuckled at that as a tapping on a microphone echoed through the building they were in.

"Welcome everyone to the 5th annual Artist Alley. Here, we have on display the greatest art pieces from every company around the city. Please take a look and admire the skill, passion, and emotions they put into every piece!" the announcer said as everyone clapped at that.

"What company are you here with?" Kyle asked Cathy.

"None really. I just like coming to this event cause it helps me look at the various art styles of other people and get some ideas."

"I understand that. It's what I do also. I just never heard of this event until now when my boss told me about it."

Cathy chuckled at that as she spotted the news people heading over.

"Hope you're not camera shy."

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked before turning to see a reporter coming closer, making him gulp.

"Good evening. My name is Elena Kadoya, and I'm with Arceus News. Would you happen to be Kyle Frost?"

Kyle nodded his head, nerves starting to act up as he never had to deal with anything like this before.

"Great! I was hoping to ask you a few questions for the entertainment news segment if you don't mind."

"Sure I guess. Never did this before."

"I won't hold you long. Just a few questions so people can get to know about the number one artist. David, are you ready with the camera?" she asked the man as he nodded and lifted it up. He gave a countdown with his hand before Kyle saw the red light come on. "Good evening! This is Elena Kadoya and I'm here tonight at the 5th annual Artist Alley where all the upcoming talent is displayed. Tonight I'm lucky to be joined by one such artist, Mr. Kyle Frost."

Kyle saw the camera focus on the two of them as he shook lightly.

"Good evening Mr. Frost. Thank you for taking some time to be with us."

"It's um....no problem."

"Now then Mr. Frost. What prompted you to start drawing?"

"I guess it started when I was six and watching an art show. Seeing all the color mix and match to make something so cool kind of made me want to do something like that."

"That is some great inspiration. Do you happen to have any artists that you could say were a role model in helping you to get where you are today?"

Kyle thought about it for a few seconds before replying.

"There are plenty of artists that helped me. Dante Rinkan, Nate Fox, and Dwight Slade to name a few. Their art style and the vision that they put into each of their paintings kind of spoke volumes more then talking could. I never had a chance to meet them but would love to sit down and speak with them one day."

"Just one last question and I'll let you go. What do you think you would be doing if you didn't take up art?"

Kyle chuckled at that.

"More then likely I would be helping my mom since she is an accountant and taught me plenty of things along with me learning art. So I had something to fall back on. But it wouldn't mean I would stop drawing by any means."

"Okay! Thank you so much for your time and I hope for more great pictures from you in the future!"

"Thank you for having me," Kyle smiled, shaking her hand as he watched him go.

Cathy walked back over before nodding her head.

"Nicely done."

"Thanks. Very nerve wracking to have so many people watching you."

"You did fine. But it looks like you still have things to do," she said, looking behind him to see the people looking at the pictures on display.

"So I do."

Time seemed to fly by as he answered questions, signed autographs, and took pictures. He actually was enjoying himself and he got a chance to speak with other artists about various things. Pretty soon it was time to go as people started to leave, taking a few more pictures of art before heading home. Kyle let out a sigh as it was finally over.

"Good job tonight Kyle," Cathy said.

"Thanks. It was overwhelming to say the least. But I did have lots of fun and learned a few things."

"I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully we can meet again at some other event. I need to meet my ride and head home for the night. Good to see you again Kyle."

"You to Cathy."

She gave a small courtesy before heading out. Kyle gave one more round around the place, looking at the pictures on the wall before heading out himself. It was dark out and luckily, he had a light on his bike as he unlocked and headed home himself.

"That was surprisingly lots of fun. Have to remember to go to the next one."

He let out a small hum as he took the back roads back home. Along the way, he ran over a pothole making him groan as he looked behind him, still peddling.

"Damn that was a big one. Hopefully my tires are still straight."

He didn't have time to react or see the headlights of the oncoming car until it was too late as a sickening crunch was heard as his body hit the car before the ground and rolled a few times. The people in the car hurried out, calling the ambulance and police as Kyle was unconscious.

//////////

Kyle woke up with a groan, head spinning as his vision was a blur.

"KYLE!!!"

"Mom?" he said groggily. "What happened? Where am I?"

"Oh I'm so happy you're okay," his mom said in tears.

"Okay?" he said, still groggy.

"You don't remember?"

He shook his head no, mind still blank as his vision finally adjusted. Looking around, he saw he was in a hospital bed, the machine beeping next him along with an IV drip. He tried to sit up only to let out a pained shout. Looking down, he saw his right arm in a sling and hand wrapped up.

"What happened?" he said, starting to panic.

"You were in a car accident. Luckily the helmet absorbed the impact to the head, but you landed awkwardly and hard on your arm and hand, breaking a few bones in your hand and dislocating your shoulder."

A few tears ran down his face as he saw his days of being an artist disappear in a flash. A knock was heard as the doctor walked in.

"Hey there Kyle. How are you feeling?"

"Really depressed," he said, head down as he looked at the cast.

"Understandable," the doctor said, looking over his chart.

"Am I going to be able to draw again?"

"You should be able to. The dislocation will heal over time. The bones in your hand will take a bit of time seeing as they were shattered in a few places. It will take a bit of strength therapy to get it back to where you want it to be, but you'll get it back."

Kyle shook his head before laying back in the bed with a heavy sigh. Years of art suddenly gone in a blink of an eye.

"I would like to keep you a few days to make sure nothing else happens and that your hand will heal in the way it's supposed to."

"That's fine."

"Okay. I'll come back and check up on you," the doctor said, nodding his head before leaving him alone with his mom.

She reached a hand over and stroked his head and cheek.

"Looks like I'll be joining you as an accountant," Kyle said.

"Nonsense honey. You'll get back to doing what you love. Just have faith," she smiled before hearing her phone go off. Looking at the message, she swore loudly, making Kyle look at her. "Seems like we're going to lose a major business cause of mistakes that were made."

"Don't want that. Go and take care of it. I'll be okay now."

"Are you sure honey?"

"Positive. Not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon," he said, raising his arm with a wince.

She frowned at that before leaning over and kissing his forehead.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she said, getting up to leave.

He watched her leave before letting out a sigh, eyes looking at the ceiling. He got lost in thought, not hearing the knock on the door.

"Kyle?"

He looked at the door to see Cathy standing there.

"Hey Cathy."

"How are you feeling? When I heard what happened to you, I had to come by when I had some free time."

"A bit depressed. I wouldn't have minded if it was my other hand that was broken."

"Sorry about what happened," she said, taking a seat next to him.

He shrugged his shoulders, wincing again at the slight pain that ran through him.

"I guess I have to live with it. Hope I can get my stroke back. Also wonder if I still have a job since I can't do what I get paid to do."

"I'm pretty sure Kanto Illustrations will wait for your full recovery."

"Yeah they probably would. Guess all I can do now is rest and recovery. Going to be a slow process," Kyle said with a sigh, looking down at his broken hand.

Cathy reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"If need be, I'll be here to help you."

Kyle smiled at that before reaching over with his good hand and squeezing hers.

"Thanks Cathy."

She smiled and nodded her head when another knock was heard.

"Dude, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to get here sooner," Stan said standing at the door. "How are you feeling?"

"Depressed above all else."

"I bet. To lose your drawing hand must really suck. But on the bright side, it could've been much worse."

"Gee thanks," Kyle said, rolling his eyes.

Stan looked to see Cathy there, making him smile.

"At least you have a pretty nurse watching over you," he chuckled, making her blush slightly.

Stan walked in and took a seat as the three of them talked until visiting hours were over making Kyle feel a lot better despite being in the situation he was in.

"I'll make sure to visit you again bro," Stan said, giving him a slight punch on his good shoulder.

"Me too. Make sure to get plenty of rest and get back to your normal self," Cathy added, getting up and heading to the door with him.

He watched them leave, leaving him alone in the hospital room. A sigh escaped him as he laid there, looking out the window as the sun was setting in the background casting its orange glow in the sky. He took another look down at his damaged hand, trying to make a fist but winced in pain.

"Oh well. Nothing I can do but get better."

//////////

Kyle sat on the chair outside, his hand working on a grip strengthener as he squeezed and relaxed on the metal grip. It's been a tough few months. He was discharged from the hospital once his dislocation healed fully. The cast on his hand stayed for a month and a half, the bones healing quite well much to the doctor's surprise. It was tough to hold anything for a while as the doctor suggested grip strengthening to get the muscles back to working form.

It started off slow, only able to barely squeeze it. He was discouraged, thinking he was never going to draw again. Luckily Cathy and Stan were there to cheer him up and give him the encouragement he needed. Now he was able to squeeze the grip fully and do it constantly after a few weeks of doing it. His stomach growled as he stood up, still squeezing the grip over and over before walking into the kitchen. His mom wasn't home saying she was going to another town to a business meeting and would be back tomorrow.

"I wonder what to eat?" he said, looking in the fridge.

He was about to grab something when his phone rang on the counter top. Walking over, he saw it was Cathy and she called three times.

"Hey Cathy. Sorry I missed your calls but I was outside in the backyard just relaxing."

"It's fine. Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to do some art with me? There's a place that has a modeler and it would give you something to do and maybe a muse to get back into art."

Kyle thought about it. Having a modeler would help a bit seeing as he couldn't think of anything to draw, still being focused on getting his hand strength back.

"Sure I don't mind. Where is it being held? I don't have any means of transportation."

"Don't worry about it. I have a friend taking me so we'll pick you up in about two hours once they get off work."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"Great! See you then."

He hung up the phone before hearing his stomach growl again at him. Opening the fridge, he looked through it before finding last night's leftovers of chicken alfredo pasta with vegetables. Popping a plate into the microwave, he let it get nice and hot before taking a seat and munching down. His grip on the fork was regular which made him smile as he took another mouthful. Finishing his food, he washed his plate before having a seat on the sofa, grip in hand as he squeezed and released.

Two hours passed quickly as the sun was just about to set. He heard the distant sound of an engine pulling into the driveway making him stand up as he went to the front door and opened it to see Cathy waving from the passenger side. He waved back with a smile before heading back inside to grab the house keys and his wallet. Locking the door and setting the alarm, he went to the passenger side door and slid into the back.

"Hey Kyle!" Cathy said happily.

"Hey Cathy," Kyle smiled.

"Kyle, this is my good childhood friend Bruce. He loves your art as well," she giggled making Bruce chuckled.

"Good to meet you in person Kyle," Bruce said.

"Likewise. So, where is this modeler going to be at?"

"It's a surprise. But trust me, you'll like it," Cathy smiled.

Kyle shrugged his shoulders before settling back into the back seat, watching the scenery go by as Bruce drove them to their destination. He let his mind wonder again, eyes closed and arms crossed. Maybe this little modeling distraction would help him get his groove back. His eyes opened as the car drove down the highway before taking an exit. They stopped at a light before turning right as the street turned into a dirt road. Looking out the window, he saw a large building in the background.

"Is that where we're going?" he asked.

"Yep," Cathy said with a bit of excitement.

Bruce pulled into the parking lot as there were cars everywhere. A single patrol car was riding around as patrons were exiting and entering the establishment. Finding a park was hard but they managed as they got out and walked to the entrance. The sliding doors greeted them as a soft blast of A/C made them shiver.

Kyle had a look around as it was rather impressive. The floors shined as you could actually see your reflection on the marble. A flight of carpeted stairs led to the second floor as two elevators rose and fell. A beautiful glass chandler was suspended in mid-air. But at closer inspection, thin wires were keeping it in the air as a large waterfall fell from the roof and into the basement it seemed like.

"Wow. This place is interesting," Kyle said, taking in everything.

"This place is the best kept secret," Cathy smiled.

They walked up to the front desk where a young girl was petting the large Arcanine that was next to her, the large fluffy tail behind it wagging happily. She looked up from her petting and stopped making the Arcanine whine.

"Ah, welcome to Forbidden Pleasures! What can I do for you tonight?" the girl said in a cheerful voice.

Kyle tilted his head at the name, never hearing a place called that.

"Yes, we're here for the modeling picture event," Cathy spoke up.

"Ah yes, let me see here," she said, reaching underneath the desk she was behind and pulling up a book, flipping a couple of pages before finding what she was looking for. "The modeling event will be in the conference room which is down the hall behind you and the third door on your left."

"I'll let you two have your fun. I'll be waiting," Bruce said.

"Okay. Come on Kyle," Cathy said, grabbing his hand and heading down the hall.

She guided him down the hall as Kyle took in everything.

"Is this some kind of hotel or something?"

"You can say that. Ah, here we are," she smiled, opening the door.

Inside were lots of stools next to an art pedestal and a blank canvas. Next to the pedestals was a small table with the tools and stuff needed to capture the moment. A couch was in the front facing them, more then likely where the model was going to sit. People were already inside and talking with one another.

"How about grabbing a seat in the front to get a better view?" Cathy suggested.

"Sounds good."

They walked up and took the close pedestals as Kyle saw they provided them with a huge assortment of painting tools.

"Wow, they provided a lot of good stuff," Kyle smiled as he took a look at the selection which ranged from colored pencils to paint.

"I knew that would make you happy," Cathy chuckled as she took a seat next to him.

After about a ten minute wait, a Gardevoir that had a smile on its face knocked on the door before walking to the front.

"Good evening everyone. I'm glad to see everyone here for this modeling event. It's rare that we do this, but why not try new things," the Gardevoir chuckled.

The voice in Kyle's head was very feminine and, to his shock, kind of cute.

"I figured why not liven up the place with a beautiful picture drawn by one of you talented artists."

"Who are we going to be drawing? You?" Kyle asked.

"Oh no. Not me. It will be this beautiful lady," she said looking behind her to a door that opened.

In walked in a very beautiful Primarina as it slid towards the couch. It gave a small bow of its head before propping itself onto it.

"This lovely lady is Alice and was very eager to get herself drawn. Now I know this may take a bit so feel free to take breaks whenever you want. I will have refreshments brought in so enjoy and have fun," the Gardevoir said, giving a small bow before leaving.

Kyle crossed his arms, his mind going a mile a minute. Alice gave a happy 'rina' before striking a pose. And that pose was very suggestive indeed. She laid sideways, a fin keeping her head up as her blue eyes looked at the artists. Its ponytail was draped along its neck and chest. The other fin slid down her tail, the scales were so shiny you would think it was skin. That fin went lower still until it stopped, then lifted up something that Kyle was not expecting. Her fin held open her slit, the pink clashing with the blue as he sat there in a loss for words.

"Um......Cathy?"

"Hmmm?" Cathy said, not looking at him as her hand was drawing.

"Is....that normal? Is she supposed to.....pose like that?"

"Perfectly normal. Just think of it like nude modeling."

Kyle looked at Alice again, the way she posed there almost like a statue. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments as she gave him a slight wink. A blush was on his face as he looked at the table of tools before grabbing a colored pencil. His grip was a bit shaky but strong thanks to the grip he used in his rehabilitation.

"Okay Kyle, you can do this. Just think of it like Cathy said."

Taking a breath, he let it out in a quiet exhale before he put pencil to canvas. Cathy gave a side glance and saw Kyle starting to draw. It was slow at first, but went quicker and quicker. She smiled, thankful that this little trip was helping him. Time seemed to fly by as everyone stopped for something to snack on from the cart of goodies a Miltank brought in. But Kyle didn't stop, his hand a blur on the canvas. His eyes went from the paper to Alive every so often to make sure he got every detail. People gathered around him seeing the strokes and hand movements he made that made the picture almost life-like.

"Damn, he's good."

"Look at him go."

"Wish I was that good."

Kyle was in his own world, the only thing that he saw was the canvas he was working on and Alice. He switched pencils effortlessly, almost like magic. After about a few hours, everyone was done as a knock on the door was heard before it opened as the Gardevoir walked in.

"How is everyone doing?"

"Pretty much done," a teenage boy spoke up.

The Gardevoir smiled before walking around and looking at everyone's art. They had great strides and vision making her happy she did this idea. She walked by Kyle's stool and stopped, eyes going wide as Kyle was still going.

"Oh my Arceus. That is beautiful."

Kyle didn't answer as he switched to another pencil, adding some touches here and there before smiling and stopping.

"I think I got it," he said happily, shaking his hand a little.

He looked to see everyone staring at his art.

"Is it bad? I haven't done anything since the accident and afraid I might be a little rusty."

"Are you kidding? This is beautiful," the Gardevoir said as Alice slid down the couch, giving a soft stretch before sliding over to look at herself.

"Rina rina prima."

"I know Alice. It's almost like looking at a twin. He even captured the intimate part of you as well."

Cathy gave his shoulder a squeeze and hug.

"Seems like you got your muse back Kyle."

"Wait!! You're Kyle Frost?" a kid asked.

"Yeah. That's me."

"Holy Arceus. No wonder you're so good."

Kyle chuckled at that before getting off the stool and stretching.

"Thank you all for coming out and doing this little event for us. For a job well done, head to the front desk for your prize."

Everyone left as Cathy and Kyle talked.

"I have to thank you for this Cathy. I thought my muse would never come back and I would be stuck in my depression," Kyle spoke up.

"I'm glad it helped. Also, having a cute modeler was a plus."

Kyle chuckled as they made it back to the front desk.

"Are you Kyle Frost?" the lady behind the desk asked.

"Yes."

"This is for you," she said, handing him a key.

"What's this for?"

"Your prize! Head up to the room and enjoy it."

Cathy took her key as well before heading to the elevator, Kyle following a bit behind still confused.

"What kind of prize are we going to get?"

"You'll see. No spoiling it for you," she smiled before getting off her floor.

The elevator went up two more floors before stopping as Kyle walked out. He walked down the carpeted hall to room 3157 and slid the card in as it unlocked. Once he walked in, he closed the door behind him and let out a gasp at what he saw. Laying on the bed sideways was Alice. The only light illuminating the room was a small lamp that gave the room a comfy glow. Also in the room was the Gardevoir who was by the window who turned when Kyle walked in.

"Welcome Kyle."

"Umm. Hi."

"I suppose you are wondering where your prize is?"

"A little bit."

The Gardevoir turned her red eyes to Alice and nodded her head.

"There she is."

Kyle looked confused, making the Gardevoir chuckle.

"You seemed confused. I'll just be a bit blunt so excuse me for it. Alice wants to give you a personal reward for making her so.....breathtaking."

"Personal?"

"Rina." Alice nodded her head.

"What kind of reward?"

"The best kind that a male and female can do together."

Kyle's eyes went wide hearing that. Was she suggesting what he thought she was?

"You would be correct Kyle."

He jumped at that, a little confused at why she knew what he thinking. He wasn't knowledgeable on pokemon at all but he did see plenty of tournaments on TV.

"Umm....I'm not too sure about doing that. I mean....we're different in many ways."

"You may be different yes, but all bodies act the same. Alice really wanted to give you this reward. But, if you so choose, you can leave. She will be just as happy with the painting."

"I mean, it's a little sudden for me to be put in this situation. I've never even done anything like that."

The Gardevoir smiled before walking over to him and reaching for his hand, gently holding it.

"It's understandable. I know you probably want your first time to be with someone special. Sorry for bringing this upon you. Thank you for the lovely art which I will hang up in the lobby for everyone to see."

"Prima rina rina prima," Alice said with a sad expression.

"Alice says she understands also and thanks you for a wonderful art. I hope you have a good night Mr. Frost."

The Gardevoir let go of his hand and headed for the door. Kyle looked at Alice, the way her scales seemed to glow in the light. Her eyes looked at him with a sad, but thankful expression. Another picture started to form in his head which made him smile as he started to walk towards Alice. She looked at him with surprise as he joined her in the bed.

"Come to think of it, I have you to thank for getting my muse back. So I guess it's a give and take huh?"

Alice gave a smile as she slowly slid up to him and cuddled into his chest as Kyle hugged her. The Gardevoir smiled at the scene before taking her leave, closing the door quietly. Alice let out a soft coo before leaning her head back, their eyes meeting as hers seemed to glow lightly. She closed the distance, their lips meeting in a gentle, but quick kiss. The tingles that went up Kyle's spine made him shiver as they kissed again and again, each one getting longer and longer. He jumped a little feeling her fin go up his shirt and caress his chest gently.

"Prima prima," she said out of breath, still rubbing his chest.

He kind of got the idea as he reached for his shirt and pulled it off. Her eyes sparkled a little as she leaned in, laying small kisses along his neck and chest. Kyle shivered at the tenderness, unsure what to do himself as he brought his hands to her back, feeling the smooth skin as Alice let out another coo. Alice leaned back, looking at him with a smile before patting the pillows with her tail.

He took the invitation as he laid down on the bed, the pillows making a nice headrest as she crawled on top of him, kissing him deeply again. Now that Kyle was shirtless, he felt her cool skin on his own as he let his hands roam her body. She was almost the same size as him as he felt her lower half grinding lightly into his pants. A soft smack ended their kiss, a thin trail of saliva still connecting them as she kissed his way down his chest again. Another shiver went up his spine, his eyes watching her as she went lower and lower before getting to his pants.

"Rina," she said with a purr.

A shaky breath escaped him as he reached down to undo his pants. His mind was in a fight but the love and care Alice was showing him melted all doubt. With the button undone, he lifted his hips and slid off the pants, noticing the tent he was sporting in his underwear as that too was discarded leaving him bare like her. She cooed seeing his cock as she leaned in to kiss the tip. Her tongue went to work next, sliding up and down that piece of flesh as the moan that escaped Kyle made her smile.

"Oh Arceus," Kyle groaned as warmth covered his prick, Alice taking it slowly into her muzzle, bobbing up and down lightly

If this was what he was missing all this time, why hasn't he done this sooner? He watched as she moved her head up and down, each time taking more of him as the light showed the saliva that was left behind. His chest rose and fell, never feeling these sensations before. It was almost too much for him to bear as he gripped the covers.

"Al....Alice. I....I think I'm gonna...."

Alice's star eyes looked at him with hunger, moving her head faster and increasing her suction around that pillar of meat. Her tongue coiled around the shaft as she moaned happily, wanting him to let go. And let go he did as he let out a moan, stomach tensing and orbs jumping as he fed her his seed in his first climax. She took it all with greedy gulps, making sure not a drop was spilled. Once that rush faded, Kyle slumped back into the pillows, a dazed expression on his face. Alice let go with a pop, licking her lips happily before sliding up and laying on top of him, cuddling under his chin with a happy coo.

"Wow....." was all he could say recovering.

She chuckled at that, feeling his arms around her again as she grinded against him, this time a bit more urgent as he could feel something wet coating his cock which wasn't her saliva. He gave a soft smile before rolling them to their side. He let his hand travel down to her fin, shivers going through her body. It took a bit, but once he found what he was looking for, she let out a gasp. Using a finger, he teased her a little, feeling the wetness that was leaking from her before pushing that finger in slowly.

"Rina....." Alice moaned, eyes closed as she wrapped her fins around him.

He smiled at her reaction, slowly pumping his finger back and forth. He could feel her walls clamp down on that finger hard as he could only imagine the pleasure when that time came. She squirmed in his grasp, tail fin pushing into his finger. He added another finger, her moans getting higher in pitch and volume. He didn't know if she was close, not having any experience in the matter, but with the way she was clinging harder to him, her breath coming in short pants and gasps, he figured she was.

"Prima.....prima....." she moaned, feeling that tingle in her body grow more and more. She couldn't help but let out a moan, her body going rigid as Kyle felt his fingers get coated with her cum. And it was a lot, being a water type as it drooled onto the covers making a decent sized puddle.

He was surprised at that but smiled feeling her cling to him, almost afraid to let him go as she rode that climax. Once the ride came to a stop, she panted softly, catching breath. She opened her closed eyes and looked at him before kissing him deeply which he returned. Her fin lifted up his wet fingers as she licked them cleaned with a sultry stare. His cock was hard and throbbing, having experienced his first orgasm and was hungry for more. He didn't know what to do at first but Alice took the lead, rolling him onto his back again as she slid on top. She grinded into him hard, the soft pants coming from her along with the moans as she held onto his shoulders. Her vent passed his cock over and over before finally, she stopped when it made contact and pushed down.

"Ohh....wow....." was all Kyle could moan out as those slick walls enclosed around his shaft.

He slid easily into her, being a water type her walls were slippery and wet. He felt her squeeze around him, almost pulsating as ripples went up and down his cock slowly. Not having legs didn't mean much to Alice as she used her vaginal muscles to squeeze and caress his cock, grinding into him as she cooed and moaned. Kyle held her close, using his lower body to thrust into her body, slow and easy. His first sexual experience. Never would he imagine it would be with a pokemon. At the moment, it didn't matter as the warmth and pleasure that enveloped his mind blew anything else out the water.

"So....good Alice," Kyle moaned, his hands rubbing up and down her back.

Alice moaned in response, moving as fast as she could to increase the pleasure. Even Kyle wanted to go a bit faster but it would be a bit hard considering she had a tail fin. With a soft huff, he spun them around, laying her on her back as he looked down at her with half lidded eyes along with her. With a moan, he started to go faster, a scream of pleasure coming out of Alice's muzzle as her walls collapsed around him. Her fins wrapped around his back, nibbling on his neck and moaning without a care as she felt him probe her depths over and over.

"Rina....." she moaned out, crushing his cock as she climaxed hard around it.

Kyle inhaled sharply at the intense pleasure, but he never stopped for a second. The slick sounds of their connections hitting their ears as flesh met scales. He held her close, her pants close to his ear as he kissed along her neck.

"Arceus....I'm....gonna...."

"Prima Primarina," Alice moaned, begging him to fill her with every drop.

He didn't want it to end. The warm, snug insides of Alice wrapping and squeezing around his cock. Her smooth scales that cooled his skin to the touch. The subtle scent of lavender that was sprinkled in her hair and neck. It all came crashing down on him in a powerful climax. He let out a grunt, pushing as deep as he could as his second climax rushed through his body and into hers in thick, heavy ropes. Alice let out a scream of pleasure, joining him in that blissful welcome as their combined fluids leaked out covered the sheets underneath them. Kyle's hips twitched every so often before going still as heavy breathing was heard all around. A soft click in the background was heard as a cool breeze washed over them. He rolled to his side slowly, still holding Alice close as they cuddled happily.

"Rina," Alice sighed happily, head under his chin as she felt the hot seed in her body.

"Thank you for tonight Alice. I was really in a bind until drawing you."

She giggled softly and nodded her head, her fins rubbing his back softly. Kyle did the same, earning a soft coo in response as a knock was heard on the door as the Gardevoir walked in.

"Did you enjoy your prize Mr. Frost?" she asked.

"Very much. Even got my muse back," Kyle chuckled.

"Happy to hear that. Your party is waiting for you downstairs in the lobby. Feel free to use the shower and freshen up. Thank you for coming to our event and giving us such a wonderful drawing," the Gardevoir said, giving a courtesy before leaving.

Kyle eased out of Alice, earning a gasp from both as he stood up and stretched. He looked behind him to see Alice smiling at him.

"Care to join me in the shower?"

"Primarina," Alice nodded.

///////////

Kyle sat on the stool in the backyard, hand working on the painting in front of him. After that eventful night with Alice, his mused was active again as he started to make picture after picture in rapid succession.

"Hey Kyle," a voice spoke, making him look up to see Cathy.

"Hey Cathy," he smiled, putting down his brush.

"Listen, I hope you're not mad about the event I took you to?"

Kyle chuckled at that before shrugging his shoulders.

"It was a bit.....shocking at first. But thanks to that, I think I've come back stronger then ever."

"I can tell. I saw your latest pictures and wow, they are beautiful," Cathay chuckled.

"What brings you by?"

"There's an art show starting soon and I was wondering if you wanted to join me?"

Kyle smiled and nodded his head.

"Sure. Let me finish this. Almost done."

Cathy nodded and walked over to see his picture and smiled.

"Is that.....?"

"Yep. I owe my muse to her," Kyle said, adding the finishing touches to his painting.

"I'm sure Alice will love it."

"Oh she will. And done," Kyle said, doing a couple of brush strokes and smiling at the results. "Come on, let's head to that art show. I'll be sure to bring this to her personally."