Morning Patrol

Draw Man stood on the highest tower of Draw Fortress, his blue goggles reflecting the morning sun. Creative City stretched below him like a giant canvas, with buildings shaped like paintbrushes and pencils reaching toward the sky. Humanoid deer walked alongside humans on the sidewalcalls, while a family of tiger-folk crossed the street near the fountain.

"Another beautiful day," Draw Man said, adjusting his dark blue supersuit. Art-energy crackled around his gloved hands as he prepared for his morning patrol.

His communicator buzzed. "Draw Man, this is Officer Sketch," came a worried voice. "We've got reports from the eastern district. Something strange is happening to the colors."

Draw Man frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The red roses in Palette Park... they're turning gray. And it's spreading."

Draw Man's brown eyes widened behind his goggles. He had never heard of anything like this before. Colors didn't just disappear.

"I'm on my way," he said, launching himself into the air with his flight powers.

The Gray Garden

Draw Man soared over the eastern district, his blue cape whipping behind him. Below, Palette Park looked wrong. The famous rose garden that usually blazed with crimson had turned completely gray, like an old photograph.

He landed near a fox-woman in a green apron who was watering the colorless flowers. Her orange fur had dulled to ash gray, and tears rolled down her snout.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Draw Man asked.

"The colors started draining this morning," she said, her voice flat. "First the roses, then the grass, then..." She looked down at her gray paws. "Then me."

Draw Man's brown eyes widened behind his goggles. People were losing their colors too? This was worse than he thought.

A sparrow landed on a nearby bench, its feathers completely gray. It chirped sadly, then flew toward the center of the park where a massive water fountain stood. The fountain's usual blue water had turned silver-gray.

"It's spreading from there," the fox-woman pointed. "Whatever's causing this, it started at the fountain."

Draw Man felt art-energy crackling around his hands as determination filled him. This wasn't just about flowers anymore.