Morning Alarm

Super Marker Doe stretched her arms high above her head as sunlight streamed through the crystal windows of her fortress. The marker-shaped towers gleamed silver in the morning light, casting colorful shadows across Woodland Metropolis below.

"Another beautiful day to protect the city," she said, adjusting her dark blue supersuit. Her rainbow cape fluttered as she walked to the observation deck.

Through the window, she could see deer citizens hurrying to work alongside their human neighbors. The marketplace buzzed with activity. Flower vendors arranged bright bouquets while bakery owners set out fresh pastries.

But something felt different today. The colors seemed... duller somehow.

"Strange," Super Marker Doe muttered, pressing her nose against the glass. "Yesterday the tulips were so vibrant."

She shook her head. Maybe she just needed breakfast. Her stomach rumbled as she headed toward the kitchen, her stylish mask catching the light.

Outside, a gray cloud drifted across the sun, casting an unusual shadow over the bustling streets below.

The Gray Morning

Super Marker Doe's stomach growled as she headed to the kitchen. But the moment she opened the cabinet, her eyes went wide.

"What in the world?" she gasped.

Every single marker in her collection had turned completely gray. Her favorite red markers, her brilliant blues, even her sparkly purples—all drained of color.

She grabbed her emergency phone and dialed City Hall. "Mayor Buckhorn? This is Super Marker Doe. We have a serious problem."

"Oh thank goodness you called!" Mayor Buckhorn's voice cracked with worry. "The whole city is losing color! The flower shops, the bakeries, even the citizens themselves are turning gray!"

Super Marker Doe rushed to her observation deck. Through her telescope, she could see deer and human citizens wandering the streets below. Their faces looked sad and confused as color slowly drained from their clothes, their fur, even their skin.

"This isn't natural," she muttered, adjusting her rainbow cape. "Someone is stealing our colors."

A small hummingbird suddenly appeared at her window, tapping frantically with its tiny beak. But instead of its usual emerald green feathers, it was completely gray too.