The Hero of Color City

Ben, it's nearly eight o'clock, honey.

Are you in bed?

Okay, Mom.

- I'm on the bed. - Not on, in.

As in, you are "in" trouble, mister.

But Mom, I have to finish this drawing.

It's a king.

That's terrific. And who's that little guy?

Uh, kind of a flying thing.

I drew them on the same paper 'cause they're pals.

Well, pal...

You're my flying thing and you're flying right into bed.

You can color more tomorrow.

Mmm, after we clean up this room.

Which means you need to feed the Trashosaur.

Lights out, little guy.

- I love you. - I love you too, Mom.

Good night, honey.

Where am I? How did I get here?

It's pretty dark. Nothing to be afraid of.

I hope.

Oh, it's the gang. They must be nearby.

Up and at 'em, slowpokes. We only got till morning.

We gotta be back before Ben wakes up,

and one minute's gone already.

Come on, we're burnin' moonlight!

Keep it down, you rusty wagon wheels.

You'll wake the young 'un.

Would you look what Ben colored with me today.

A green dog. Usually he just uses me for grass,

- or leaves. - That is one groovy puppy.

You know, last week, Ben used me to color an elephant.

A blue elephant.

Kid sure is creative.

All he ever uses me for is night.

But nighttime is party time.

he never colors inside the lines.

Is it too much to ask for my chroma

and pigmentation not to be spread around haphazardly?

He colors like a six-year-old.

Uh, he is a six-year-old.

Once in awhile, I'm an outline.

Hey! What's it take to get some help around this joint?

Zam, what are you doing up there?

I don't know, what are you doing down there?

Ben must have left her there before he went to bed.

- Hello. - Don't flip your lid, Red.

I got you covered.

Well, it's about time. Been up there all day.

Well, I thought it was a perfect catch.

I probably would have dropped her.

- Tangerine. - Hello.

Periwinkle.

I'm here. Oh, did he see me?

- I've... I've been here. - Baby blue?

Orange?

- Huh? - Juicy.

- White. - Did you see?

Did you, Brown? Ben reached for me today.

Well, almost reached for me, but still...

I saw it, White, and you know, pretty soon

Ben's going to draw a holiday card.

Now who do you think he's gonna use for snow?

Me! Gee, thanks, Brown.

Tutti Frutti?

Refried Bean.

Aw, come on!

All right now, let's see here.

Yella? Yella? Yella!

She's probably hiding in a corner somewhere.

Scared stiff, as usual.

Almost there.

Just a few more steps.

Oh! Excuse me, I...

Help!

Whoa! Shh...

You'll wake the kid. Where's the fire?

Monster... under bed.

Almost... almost got me.

A monster? At this time of year?

It'll probably devour us all.

A sock monkey?

Oh.

- Silly me. - Forget about it, Yellow.

Never trust a toy made from old laundry.

And look at his smile. Very insincere.

Oh! Time flies, fellas. We better head back.

Well, hold up there, you young whippersnappers.

Always with the hippity-hop music you have now.

Why, back in my day, crayons came four in a box,

and none of these fancy waxes neither.

We were mostly made of charcoal and mud.

Those were the days.

Don't let it fracture you, Yellow. Everyone gets scared sometimes.

You don't.

Hey, come on. I know how to cheer you up.

Some extreme fun.

No, no. Nothing with an "extreme" in front of it.

You go on ahead.

You sure?

Ha!

Why am I always so afraid of everything?

You sure looked like a monster.

I had every reason to be scared.

It's not like I jump at every little...

Oh, it's just...

Oh! Eee!

Navy blue? Aquamarine?

Aye aye, sir.

Crayon-amo!

Whoo! What a gas.

It wasn't me.

Consarn it, Blue! You almost woke Ben up.

Ooh. My bad.

Time's a-wastin'. We better high-tail it.

- Okay, come on. - Watch out.

I love it!

Look out below!

Please.

Yee-haw!

- Wait. - Huh?

Has anyone seen Yella?

Wait for me! I'm here, Brown.

Brown?

Blue? Red?

Anyone? I'm still here, guys.

With the drawings, and the...

...dinosaur.

Oh, no.

Deep breaths. Find your happy place.

Monster!

Get... get away from me! You... you... monster!

Monster?

Now see here, we're hardly monsters.

Just pigments of Ben's imagination.

Scribbles.

Handsome scribbles.

- lt has two heads! - Ooh, two heads?

We should be so lucky. I'm his wingman.

Probably because I have wings.

- The name is Nat. - You're a gnat?

Not a gnat, Nat! I'm a flying... thing.

Oh, and his best friend.

Who is he? What is he?

Allow me to introduce the Crown Prince of Chiaroscuro,

the Head of the Colorwealth,

the Archduke of Saturation,

the one and only,

His Royal Poobah, King Scrawl.

What do you want from me?

Obviously. You're a crayon. We're sketches.

What do I have to do, draw you a picture?

Hmm.

Look, we just need a little color.

I was thinking of something in a paisley.

Wha... what? By myself?

Um, I'm not supposed to color strangers.

And besides, my tip is all worn out...

Well, what about all your friends?

Can't they give us some color?

They're all gone. See?

Gone? Where?

Through the secret door to Color City, where crayons live.

Hmm? Hmm...

All the crayons? Secret door?

- Hm! - You're right, boss.

That certainly looks like a secret door.

That's not the secret door.

And anyway, only crayons are allowed in Color City.

- Hmm? - Maybe we need to knock.

Hmm!

Oh, there's a doorbell! This must be the place.

But that really isn't the way to Color City.

Don't listen to her, boss. She's just trying to trick us.

Hmm...

What about this doohickey?

Hmm? Hmm.

Uh-oh.

Hmm. Hmm?

Get me out of here!

Please let me out! I don't like small places.

I've never even been to Rhode Island.

Zing! Thanks, Your Royal Stompiness.

Hey. Where's Little Miss Yellow?

I'm home.

Color City!

I... I made it. Yay!

Ah.

- Hey, Yellow, how you doing? - Hi, Yellow.

- Yellow! Where you been? - We were worried.

- I assumed the worst. - There's a shock.

You know, Brown was about to organize a search party.

Or, as I think he put it, a... ...posse.

It was awful. I was attacked.

- What? - By a big, huge, ginormous...

Sock monkey? A rubber ducky?

Wave of panic. Yeah, that's it.

I was scared because I was all alone.

Well, at least it wasn't a monster this time.

And just look at your tip. Blunt as blunt can be.