Phi’s pencil glid across the thick sheet of paper that lived inside her sketchbook. The graphite in the recently sharpened drawing utensil made gentle marks, forming a much larger rough image of the pondside park in front of her.

The Sigilyph’s singular sapphire eye took in each light contour and line that she just drew. From the few trees that resided in the city park, the vast murky body of water which rests in the centre, the island in the centre, connected by a bridge on each side, and the many unique guests and passersby of this natural attraction. 

“No, that’s not it…” Phi muttered to herself. Her three digit hand flipped the page over, revealing a fresh, clean canvas, awaiting for her to create another work of art on it, with invisible anticipation. But that time wouldn’t be yet.

Despite being proud of the rough drawing, especially the little details she caught (Like how a bird rested peacefully on a hot dog cart), she didn’t have the motivation to complete it. This was due to being given an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Phi’s artwork and commissions have caught the eyes of many Pokémon. One in particular was a gallery curator, who came up to Phi and asked if they could display a few of her pictures at an upcoming show. She’d be paid a cut of the ticket sales, and extra, if she’s able to sell some. Not wanting to turn down money that could help fund the restoration of her home city, she quickly agreed.

The Avianoid Pokémon decided that a few of her older pieces would be perfect for the show. But whilst knowing that they’d catch the attention of people, the fact that she had shown them online might dampen the popularity, especially when other artists in the city would be displaying art pieces never seen before.

That was the moment Phi decided that she needed to have one of her own. A magnum opus if you will.

And that was where her problems began…

The sketch the painter had put on the backburner was the third to get that treatment. The artistic drive was there, motivated by financial income; but she lacked the biggest thing of all, inspiration.

Tapping that pencil on the side of her sketchbook, she looked at the environment in front of her. It was a beautiful example of an urban nature park, yet after that sketch, she was unsure on what else she could glean from it.

“Perhaps a change of scenery is in order” She spoke to herself once more, flipping the front cover of her book and placing it in her art satchel.

As she left the park, she continued to survey her surroundings, trying to find something, anything that would serve as inspiration for her magnum opus.

An eccentrically coloured bird? Too common. The quaint diner located on the street corner? It was a nice idea, but nothing special. The lovely melody a Charmeleon busker composed with his soft voice and acoustic guitar? It did give her the vision of dancing fire that didn’t harm a forest around it, but that didn’t scream to her as ‘the perfect inspiration’

With a deep sigh, she continues walking, hoping that someplace would help her inspiration juices start flowing.

That was also when she almost bumped into a sandwich board, placed in the centre of the road. Taking a few steps back, the skeletal winged pokémon read what the sign was promoting.

“A bathhouse huh?” Looking at the direction the arrow was facing led to Phi seeing the wooden door to the small establishment that had been there since the city’s inception. Having also read that they were doing half-price admission on weekends, it seemed like a good idea to give it a visit and experience the unique atmosphere a communal bathhouse had to offer. Who knows, Maybe it’ll help her out with inspiration.

And help it sort of did. The warm water helped soothe her slim, busty form. With Phi not realising how tense and achy she had become. The oriental architecture of the bathhouse tickled her creative mind.

From the tiled baths and walls. To the mural upon said wall, it depicted a tropical beachside, with a mountain towering in the back. The thick steam which fogged the whole area was  the cherry on top to the design of this family-run bath.

Phi wished she could spend the whole day here, but being on a tight schedule thanks to needing to make a piece for the show in three days, she had forty-five minutes to relax.

Towelling down, the psychic-flying type soon wore that massive washcloth as a temporary robe as she headed towards the lockers.

After that it would’ve been sitting down somewhere nice and doing some more sketching. Maybe a café so she could have a nice artisanal coffee. Yet this plan was scrapped faster than past art ideas; as her eye sprung wide open in shock, when she opened that locker.

Her clothes, they were gone! 

B-But how!? Phi’s internal voice screamed from the horror of being robbed, but she could only tell that her clothes had vanished.

I-I locked it though, how could someone- She peered at it once again and realised that she hadn’t closed it properly…
Annoyance at herself went over her for not checking it was properly shut, but also aimed at this unknown perverse thief that stole her clothes. Them being a perv would be the only reason they’d take her clothes, but not her satchel; containing her phone, wallet, keys, sketchbook, her art supplies; including her paints and-

Wait, she still had her paints!

This gave her an idea, it wasn’t the proudest idea, but it’ll have to do…

Phi exited the bathhouse, quickly striding towards the alleyway.  

A thick red blush was on her onyx face. Her breath was rapid with anxiety from the fear of someone seeing through her embarrassing plan.

It was sort of a miracle that Phi had her paints and brushes still, since she was able to use her body as a canvas, creating the facade of clothes with a thick coat of paint. Her perfectionist eye led to her practically replicating what she wore when she entered. But even then, Phi knew there were places that were tough to hide, even with paint.

One such place was her nipples. The perky, sensitive spot of her chest was like her singular eye, a light blue surrounded by a ring of white. They were now painted the same dark green to mimic the rather short ‘shirt’ she wore, with a white zig-zag pattern just below it.

The other major place she couldn’t hide well was her rear. With a similar endowment as her chest (albeit smaller), she could’ve just lied and said that her clothes are just real tight, but the fact her tail was poking out from above would ruin that lie. 

That left her with one objective: Get home without attracting too much attention. Easier said than done, as she knew the streets she had to cross in order to reach the location of her apartment.

I-I can do this! Phi motivated herself, softly slapping herself on both cheeks to brace herself for the most intense trip of her life. 

Going out the other way of the alleyway, she ran across the street. Luck being on her side as the traffic lights went red as she left the alley. 

There were points where Phi had to cover her cleavage and ensure people didn't keep a close eye on her at points, but with the speed at which she was going, the Sigilyph was over halfway there by now. It felt like nothing could stop her now!

“Hey Phi~” 

Or so she thought, as she almost jumped out of her skin at the voice next to her. 

Looking to her left she was greeted by a friend of hers, Falchy.

The Honedge lady was a huge fan of her art, having assisted Phi with setting up small stands to sell her art at, and also being a useful tour guide for an outsider like her.

“H-Hi, Falchy” She nervously responded, hoping her fellow cyclopian won’t recognise her nudity beneath that paint. “L-Look, I’m sorry, but I really gotta get home right now, I have a lot planned, and not much time to do it. So I can’t stick around and chat.” She explained as she continued speed-walking, knowing that her house was just two streets away.

“Guessing it’s about your magnum opus then?” The Sword Pokémon asked, keeping pace with her. Phi had told her about her accepting the spot at the upcoming exhibition, she also mentioned wanting to make something special for it as well.

“Y-Yeah. Just been a little stumped, that’s all, hopefully I can start on it when I get back.” Phi blushed, a tell that she was somewhat lying about this matter

“Maybe I could come and-” 

“No!” Raising her voice was a mistake, as it drew attention to her, a few more citizens now staring at her. “I-I mean, I would want to enjoy to work on it without distraction, if that’s alright”

“Aww, that’s alright…” Falchy’s response sounded somewhat disappointed that she couldn’t watch her friend work. “Maybe another time?” Her question made Phi feel faint guilt, but it wasn’t her fault she had to turn her down, all because a perv stole her clothes.

“Sure, that sounds good. I’ll message you about it” Phi’s words brought a non-existent smile to the steel-ghost type friend’s face. Now was the perfect time for her to start running home, not wanting anyone else looking at her.

But when she took her next step, the worst thing could happen…

She felt a singular drop of something on her shoulder, then on her other shoulder, then her head and soon chest. The pitter patter of rainfall soon became audible to her.

“Aww man. I forgot to pack my umbrella today…” Falchy said something that was also true for Phi. That fact helped cause her to have an internal freakout. Looking at her boobs once more, she watched the paint beginning to dissolve and trickle down.

“OH WOW, IS THAT THE TIME?” Phi quickly muttered, looking at the imaginary watch on her wrist. “SORRY FALCHY, I HAVE TO HEAD HOME RIGHT NOW!” She shouted that last bit whilst quickly running away from her, leaving faint green footprints that the rain quickly washed away.

Today has become a nightmare for her now. The embarrassment was reaching a boiling point as the rain ate her ‘clothes’. Instinctively covering her chest with both arms, she dashed down the sidewalk and over the road, not waiting for the traffic lights to change colour and instead using the lack of traffic right then as an opportunity to cross.

Five long and exhausting blocks later, and Phi had made it to her destination. The elevator served a brief respite for her, allowing them to regain their breath as she waited for it to reach her floor. She gazed at her now ruined work of body art, the green and whites having melted together and made it seem like she’d just dropped two cans of paint on herself…

When those metal doors opened, she made a bee-line to her apartment’s door, quickly unlocking it and stepping right in.

Said nightmare was now over, she didn’t need to worry about anyone else looking at her nude form.

Turning on the shower, the Pokémon allowed her body to be purged of the acrylic as she basked beneath the warm and steady stream of water.

Despite all the embarrassment and fear from being nude. She couldn’t forget the odd rush she had from it. How the wind felt on her unclothed form, it was like the perfect way to dry off from that steamy bathhouse. Recalling the sights of that lovely bath, it soon began to merge with her most recent experience. 

And that’s when it came to her: Inspiration!

“Magnificent.”

“Amazing.”

“Such a fantastic use of colour”

These were some of the comments Phi’s magnum opus received.

The artwork depicted a female Milotic. She was coming out of a hot spring. The steam from it had formed into an elegant dress, yet even though she was coated, her feminine features were still visible to the naked eye.

“Amazing work, Phi.” Said the curator, aptly a Smeargle. He gazed at her magnum opus, amazed at the detail. “Haven’t seen a piece like this in a long while”

“Thank you, sir.” She replied with, overjoyed by the praise.

“I have to ask, how did you get the inspiration for such a piece?”

The Sigilyph nervously chuckled at that question

“I-It’s a long story…” Was her answer, not wanting to share the inspiration with such a personal origin.