In Game World, every block had a bright color. Red blocks went bop. Blue blocks went plip. Yellow blocks went ding.
Jasper was a little Bandit. He wore a soft green mask and tiny boots. Jasper was kind. He did not take things from friends. He only liked to find lost things and give them back.
One morning, Jasper looked out of his round block house.
“Oh!” he said.
Game World was gray.
The red blocks were gray. The blue river was gray. Even the happy cloud was gray.
Monkey swung down from a pixel tree. Monkey had a long curly tail and a big, big smile.
“Where did all the colors go?” Monkey asked.
Ninja came quietly. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Ninja wore a purple hood and carried a small lantern.
“I saw little gray footprints,” said Ninja. “They go to the Click-Clack Cave.”
Then Fantom floated from behind a square bush. Fantom looked like a pale, friendly puff with two shiny eyes.
“Boo?” said Fantom.
Jasper smiled. “Hello, Fantom. Do you want to help?”
“Boo-hoo, yes,” said Fantom. “I miss pink!”
So the four friends went on a color hunt.
They crossed the Bouncy Bridge. Boing! Boing! Monkey bounced too high.
“Wheee!” cried Monkey.
“Hold my tail!” he said.
Jasper held Monkey’s tail. Ninja held Jasper’s hand. Fantom floated under them like a soft cloud. Down they came. Boing. Safe!
At the gray river, there was no boat. Jasper looked left. He looked right. He looked down.
“Three blue shells,” he said. “They are hiding under the gray mud.”
Jasper brushed the mud away. Blue! The shells woke up.
“Plip, plip!” they sang.
The shells joined together and made a little blue boat.
“Good finding, Bandit Jasper!” said Ninja.
They rode to Click-Clack Cave. Inside, the cave said, “Click-clack. Click-clack.”
A small cart rolled past. In the cart sat Smuggler. Smuggler wore a huge hat and had a sack full of colors.
Red, blue, yellow, green, pink! The colors peeked from the sack like ribbons.
“Mine, mine, mine!” said Smuggler. “I want the brightest Game World all for me.”
Jasper felt scared. Smuggler’s hat was very huge. But Jasper took one small step.
“Colors are for everyone,” Jasper said.
Smuggler hugged the sack. “No!”
Monkey made a silly face. His ears wiggled. His tail made a curly loop. “Eee-hee-hee!”
Smuggler laughed. “Ha! That is funny.”
While Smuggler laughed, Ninja quietly put a tiny bell on the cart. Ting!
Fantom floated near the cave wall. “Boo!” he said, but very gently.
Smuggler jumped. His huge hat fell over his eyes.
“Oh no!” said Smuggler. “I cannot see!”
The cart rolled toward a puddle. Click-clack! Click-clack!
Jasper ran fast. His tiny boots went pat-pat-pat. He pulled the cart’s red stop rope.
Screeech!
The cart stopped before the puddle.
Smuggler lifted his hat. He looked at Jasper.
“You helped me?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Jasper. “Even when you made a wrong choice, you needed help.”
Smuggler looked at his sack. He looked at the gray cave. He looked at the friends.
“I felt lonely,” Smuggler said in a small voice. “I thought colors would be my friends.”
Monkey gave him a banana sticker. “Friends share,” Monkey said.
Ninja nodded. “We can share the colors.”
Fantom twirled. “And we can share boo-berries!”
Smuggler smiled a little. He opened the sack.
Whoosh!
Red flew to the blocks. Bop!
Blue flew to the river. Plip!
Yellow flew to the clouds. Ding!
Green flew to the trees. Swish!
Pink flew to Fantom. “Boo!” he cheered.
Game World shone brighter than before. A rainbow level appeared in the sky. At its end was a treasure chest made of golden pixels.
It opened with a pop.
Inside were four shiny Color Badges and one extra badge for Smuggler. Jasper’s badge said: GREAT FINDER. Monkey’s said: SUPER BOUNCER. Ninja’s said: QUIET HELPER. Fantom’s said: BRAVE BOO. Smuggler’s said: COLOR SHARER.
Jasper pinned on his badge. It sparkled green.
“Come on,” said Jasper. “Let’s play in our colorful Game World.”
And they did. Bop, plip, ding, and boo!