Morning Patrol

Ms. Crayon Spider stretched her four arms as golden sunlight streamed through the tall windows of her headquarters. Her blue supersuit gleamed, and she adjusted her red gloves while checking the morning reports on her desk.

"Another peaceful night in Art Supply City," she said, scanning the papers with her four bright eyes.

Through the window, she could see the bustling streets below. Paintbrush families hurried to work, their bristles bouncing with each step. A group of colored pencils chatted excitedly near the fountain, their wooden bodies gleaming in the morning light.

Ms. Crayon Spider smiled, showing her cute fangs. Her blonde hair caught the sunlight as she prepared for her daily patrol around the city.

She stepped onto her balcony and spread her arms wide. Time to make sure everyone was safe and happy. With a powerful leap, she soared into the bright blue sky, her cape flowing behind her as she began her flight over the colorful neighborhoods of Art Supply City.

When Colors Refuse to Play

Ms. Crayon Spider swooped down over Market Square, where something felt terribly wrong. The paintbrush families she'd seen earlier stood frozen in place, their bristles drooping sadly. A group of colored pencils sat motionless by the fountain, their wooden bodies dull and lifeless.

"What's happening here?" she called out, landing gracefully near the fountain.

A small hummingbird with emerald feathers zipped frantically around her head. "Ms. Crayon Spider! Thank goodness you're here!" the bird chirped, hovering in place. "I'm Zippy, and I've been trying to tell everyone—nothing works anymore!"

"What do you mean, nothing works?"

Zippy darted to a nearby easel where a frustrated young artist was trying to paint. The brushes touched the canvas but left no marks. The artist squeezed paint tubes, but only air came out.

"It started this morning," Zippy explained. "Crayons won't color, markers won't mark, even chalk won't leave a trace! Every art supply in the city has gone on strike!"

Ms. Crayon Spider tested her own crayon blast power, shooting a beam at the ground. Nothing happened. Her eyes widened with alarm.