Morning Reflections

Ms. Paintbrush Cat stretched her blue paws and yawned, her rainbow cape catching the morning sunlight streaming through the tower's curved windows. She padded across the polished floor of her home atop Paintbrush Cat Tower, her magical paintbrush tucked safely in her utility belt.

"Another beautiful day in Feline Metropolis," she murmured, gazing down at the bustling city below. Humanoid cats and humans hurried along the sidewalks, their colorful clothes creating a vibrant tapestry against the gleaming buildings.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. The caller ID showed Mayor Whiskers.

"Ms. Paintbrush Cat, we need you at City Hall immediately," the mayor's voice crackled through the speaker. "Something strange is happening downtown. The Henderson Building... it's lost all its color."

She frowned, pressing the phone closer to her pointed ear. "Lost its color? What do you mean?"

"Just come quickly. You'll see for yourself."

The line went dead. Ms. Paintbrush Cat grabbed her rainbow mask and flew toward the window, her cape billowing behind her.

The Gray Wave

Ms. Paintbrush Cat soared through the morning air, her rainbow cape streaming behind her. Below, Feline Metropolis sparkled in the sunlight, but something felt wrong.

She landed softly outside City Hall, where Mayor Whiskers waited. The gray tabby cat wore his usual navy suit and worried expression.

"Thank goodness you're here," he said, adjusting his spectacles. "Look at that."

Ms. Paintbrush Cat turned toward the Henderson Building. Her jaw dropped. The entire fifty-story structure stood completely gray—no color anywhere. The red brick facade had turned ashen. The green copper trim looked like old pewter. Even the bright yellow taxi parked outside had become a dull silver.

"When did this happen?" she asked.

"Mrs. Butterscotch, the baker from Whiskers Bakery, called it in an hour ago," Mayor Whiskers explained. "She was delivering muffins when she watched the colors drain away like water running down a sink."

Ms. Paintbrush Cat pulled out her magical paintbrush. She touched it to the building's wall and concentrated hard. Nothing happened.

"My powers aren't working on it," she whispered.

A scream echoed from three blocks away. Then another. The gray was spreading.