Morning at the Tower

Marker Buck stretched his arms wide as sunlight streamed through the curved windows of Marker Tower. The city below looked perfect from his bedroom on the fifteenth floor. Line Forest City sparkled with bright colors—red rooftops, yellow street signs, and green parks where both humans and deer-folk walked together.

"Another beautiful morning," he said, pulling on his black supersuit. The blue mask felt snug against his light-brown fur.

His phone buzzed. A text from his friend Rosa: "Meeting at the café in twenty minutes. Don't be late again!"

Buck grinned and stepped onto his balcony. Flying would be faster than the elevator. He launched himself into the air, soaring between the tall buildings. The wind felt good against his white muzzle.

As he glided toward downtown, something caught his eye. One building looked... different. Its bright blue paint seemed faded, almost gray around the edges.

Buck frowned. Paint didn't fade that fast. He made a mental note to check it out later after meeting Rosa.

Gray Discoveries

Buck landed softly outside Rosa's Café, a cozy spot where both humans and deer-folk gathered for morning coffee. The familiar bell jingled as he pushed open the door.

"There you are!" Rosa waved from their usual corner table. She was a smart woman with short brown hair and bright green eyes, wearing her favorite purple sweater. "I ordered your usual—black coffee with extra sugar."

Buck slid into the chair across from her. "Thanks. Sorry I'm almost late again."

Rosa grinned. "Almost doesn't count. But listen, something weird happened this morning." She pulled out her phone and showed him a photo. "Look at this."

The picture showed the city's music festival stage from last weekend. But something was wrong. The bright red banners hanging around the platform looked completely gray now.

"That's impossible," Buck said, studying the image. "These banners were brand new last week."

"I know, right? And it's not just the stage." Rosa swiped to another photo. "Mrs. Chen's flower shop lost all the yellow from her sunflowers overnight. They're just... gray."

Buck's stomach dropped. He remembered the fading building he'd seen during his flight. This wasn't random paint damage.

Someone was stealing the city's colors.