Cece the Mom Baddie was a kind girl who lived in a warm castle on a little hill. She wore bright red boots, a soft yellow cape, and a sparkly crown with one tiny heart. Everyone in the castle called her Cece.
Cece liked to help. She helped fold blankets. She helped stir soup. She helped little birds find crumbs. But her favorite thing was making people smile.
Her best friends lived in the playroom tower. Robot was round and silver. He had blue button eyes and square feet. When he walked, he said, “Clink! Clonk!” Doll had curly brown hair and a pink dress with pockets. In her pockets, she kept a cookie, a ribbon, and one very important spoon.
One morning, the castle went gray.
The red flag was gray. The green garden was gray. Even Cece’s yellow cape was gray.
“Oh no,” said Cece.
“Beep-boop, colors missing,” said Robot.
Doll looked out the window. “Look!” she said.
A Living Shadow slid across the castle wall. It was dark and long. It had two shiny eyes. It made a quiet sound: “Shhhhwooo.”
Cece held Doll’s hand. “Are you here to take our colors?” she asked.
The Living Shadow hid behind a big chair.
Robot rolled close. “I am a little scared,” he said. “My brave battery is wiggly.”
“That is okay,” said Cece. “We can be scared and still help.”
Cece packed a small bag. She put in three apple slices, a fuzzy blanket, and a gold flashlight. Doll put in her spoon. Robot packed a tiny bell that went, “Ding!”
The friends followed the Shadow through the castle. They passed the sleepy kitchen. They crossed the bouncy rug hall. They climbed the twisty stairs to the tallest tower.
At the top was a small door. Behind it was not a scary room.
It was a dark, dark room with a dark, dark Shadow.
The Living Shadow sat in a corner. It looked very small now. A blue tear slid down its cheek.
“Why are you sad?” Cece asked softly.
The Shadow pointed to a round window. Thick gray clouds covered the sun.
“No sun,” whispered the Shadow. “No light. I am lonely. I took the colors because I wanted something pretty near me.”
Doll opened her pink pockets. “You needed a friend,” she said.
Robot’s eyes blinked. “Friend found. Beep!”
Cece smiled. “We can help. But colors belong to everyone. Will you give them back?”
The Shadow nodded.
First, Cece shone her gold flashlight at the window. A little beam danced on the wall.
Then Robot rang his tiny bell. “Ding! Ding! Ding!”
Doll tapped her spoon on a cup. “Tap-tap-tap!”
The sounds made a funny song. Cece sang, “Sun, sun, peek out, please. Bring bright colors to the trees!”
The Living Shadow tried, too. Its voice was whispery, but sweet. “Sun, sun, peek out, please.”
The clouds moved a little.
“Again!” said Cece.
“Ding! Tap! Clink-clonk!” went the friends.
The clouds opened.
A warm sunbeam slipped into the tower. It touched the Shadow’s toes. Then it touched Cece’s crown. Gold sparkles flew everywhere.
Red came back to Cece’s boots. Yellow came back to her cape. Green came back to the garden. Blue came back to Robot’s eyes. Pink came back to Doll’s dress.
The Living Shadow did not run away. In the sunbeam, it became a soft purple shadow with little silver stars inside.
“Oh!” it said. “I am pretty, too!”
“Yes,” said Cece. “You are.”
The purple Shadow gave Cece a present from behind its corner. It was a small treasure box with a moon painted on top.
Inside were four shiny color stones: a red ruby, a green emerald, a blue sapphire, and a yellow topaz.
“For you,” said the Shadow. “For helping me share the light.”
Cece gave one stone to Robot and one to Doll. She kept one in her crown. The last stone went in the castle window, where it made rainbow dots every morning.
That night, the castle was bright again. The friends ate apple slices and cookie crumbs on the tower steps. The purple Shadow made gentle shapes on the wall: a bunny, a duck, and a very silly dancing potato.
Cece laughed. Robot laughed. Doll laughed.
“Clink-clonk, happy castle,” said Robot.
And Cece the Mom Baddie looked at her friends. She felt brave. She felt kind. She had helped bring back every color, and she had found a new friend, too.
The castle glowed under the moon. The rainbow stones sparkled. And everyone slept cozy, safe, and bright.