Chapter Text
Dusk settled over the village, a low, yellow light highlighting the careful contours of the houses’ fine architecture and the preened foliage that bordered the gardens. Usually, at this time of evening, the residents of the village would be outside, enjoying the gentle warmth of the sun on their fur. Of course, that's what most of the residents were doing, with younger flowers chasing each other about, trying to catch each other's tails. Lythorus, the chief of the village, paced along the pathway to a particular house, which sat alone on a small hill, isolated from the others.
A sigh escaped Lythorus’ mouth. He knew who that house belonged to, and he would have to be dragging that particular resident out of that house.
—
The workshop smelled like smoke and sulfur. Blueprints were pinned to the boards on the walls, almost painting them in eyestraining white lines. Wires tangled around the floor, coiling and winding together like a nest which had been carefully woven together. The workshop had no windows, leaving the artificial blue lights to be the only source of light. On a table laid a mechanical beast, the legs splayed out and the exoskeleton being welded on, the uneven gaps being soldered together. A round-cornered cube was hunched over the table, a welding mask on his face, hiding his identity. He held a welder in his right hand, his arms protected by a leather jacket. His lower body remained bare. Well, it was difficult to find clothes for a large, cat-like lower body. From his waist down, normal legs were replaced by the muscular, bulky form of a cat-like body, with four legs, a thick tail and four wide paws. It was the same shade of light blue as his head, with a lighter underbelly and darker, jagged stripes. His front paws were gripped against the edge of the table, leaving his upper torso hunched at an unhealthy angle.
A loud knock sounded on the door, startling the shape and causing him to almost fall over. He let out a grumble, turning the welder off and lifting his mask, revealing a slightly darker facial crest and two triangles under his eyes. He turned towards the door, putting his front paws on the floor and putting the welder down. As expected, the door opened to reveal Lythorus, with a furrowed brow and a slight frown.
“Cube,” Lythrous greeted casually, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. His ear twitched as he looked over Cube’s project. “Working as hard as ever, I see.”
Cube's tail twitched, taking the welding mask off. Despite his closed eyes, he knew exactly where everything was. His paws padded against the floor, his head tilting as he looked at Lythorus. “Wasn't expecting to see you here,” Cube admitted, running a hand over his face. “I figured you would be busy with your chief duties this evening,” he commented as he shrugged off his leather jacket, revealing a deep blue tanktop, and his right arm, which was revealed to be made of biomechanical materials. It seemed to be fused to the flesh in his shoulder.
“Gee, thanks. Is that all you see me as, a busy chief? I don't think that's a good thing, my childhood pal,” Lythrous replied, placing a hand on his chest in faux hurt. “Oh, shush, you overgrown mutt,” Cube quipped, his tail flicking. He bapped Lythorus on the nose, earning a snort from the flower. “So what's gotten you in my humble abode, huh? You never usually visit me unless you want something.” The flower shook his head, his wolfish ears twitching. “I really must work on how much time I spend with you. But, no, I don't want something from you, surprising to you. I’m actually here to take you for a walk, because you’ve been spending all your time in your workshop.” Cube opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't have enough time, as Lythrous grabbed his wrist and firmly tugged him out of the workshop and into the outside world.
Begrudgingly, Cube followed Lythorus, squinting at the bright rays of the remaining sunlight. Despite himself, he slowly eased up, his tense form relaxing and his fur smoothing down. He hadn't even noticed he was bristling. A comfortable silence settled over the two men, none of them feeling the need to share words. Cube perked up, feeling a familiar pulse of energy in the air as they walked. The sun had almost completely fallen by now, the moon revealing itself and the blanket of stars that began to coat the sky. “How come we’re heading towards the tree?” he inquired, but not protesting as they crossed the bridge over the water that surrounded the small land that the Tree of Life sat on. It glowed a brilliant cyan, but its light wasn't blinding. Instead, it shone with a certain gentleness, an aura that was welcoming and comforting. “Just thought you needed to loosen up. You’ve been stuck in your house for however long and I’m getting tired of you lacking social connection,” Lythorus finally answered, sitting down by the trunk of the tree, laying on his back and crossing his arms behind his head. Cube sat down next to Lythorus, his tail subconsciously coiling up against Lythorus’. He took a deep breath, scratching at an itch on his front paw. The two sat in silence, the energy of the tree wrapping around the two like a firm hug.
“Lythorus?” Cube finally spoke, his front paws patting the ground, which pulsated with life. The chief let out a hum, his ears perking up. Cube was silent for a few moments, leaning back a bit, before he sighed.
“Do you ever feel like something…something’s gonna happen soon? It's been feeling too peaceful,” he admitted, crossing his arms as his brow furrowed.
Lythorus sat up, leaning on his arms. He looked over at Cube, placing a hand on his friend's left hand. “Listen, Cube…I know you're still paranoid after that last battle, but it's okay. The corruption is over. It's been 10 years. It's not coming back. The Monster has been sealed away, he’s not coming back out, not anytime when we’re still here, anyways,” he reassured, his claws subconsciously running over Cube's knuckles. “Even if it does, the Guardians and the Heroes are able to defeat it. Just, don't lose your other arm.” Lythorus was unable to resist teasing Cube just a bit, resulting in a firm punch from the shape to his shoulder. The two laughed it off, settling back into a comfortable silence, with Cube leaning against Lythorus slightly. Without either of them noticing it, their tails intertwined.
—
That night, Cube dreamed. However, these dreams were nonsensical, mostly flashes of bright colours that left him with a pounding headache. It was inconsistent, with the scenery constantly changing and shifting. But, something changed, causing him to sit up in a snap. He needed to go to the tree.
He slunk out of bed, putting on a shirt and a gown before he made his way outside. His fur prickled as the cool air hit his body. With purpose in his strides, he approached the Tree of Life, his paws silently padding against the soft grass. The bridge creaked under his weight, but he paid it no mind.
Soon enough, he stood in front of the tree, which seemed to almost be calling out to him, beckoning him. Cube hesitated, before walking forward and placing a hand on the trunk of the tree. Immediately, a white light engulfed him, causing him to shield his eyes.
When he uncovered his eyes, he found himself somewhere completely different. He was in a forest, filled with cyan trees. A path led up to the Tree of Life, which shimmered with energy and invitation. He approached the tree, instinctively bowing down before it. The tree seemed to be pleased by the action, its leaves fluttering.
Cube noticed something descending from the sky, causing him to hold out his arms and catch whatever was floating gracefully down to the ground. He opened his eyes, getting a proper look at what he had caught. To his surprise, it seemed to be an infant shape, with a bright, cyan, square-shaped head, dark blue wings, pure white eyes and a chubby body, covered by a blue onesie. Cube tilted his head, earning a coo from the small infant.
Before he could try to comprehend what this truly meant, he heard a chorus of voices around him, startling him slightly.
“Welcome, Guardian of the Cyan Tree. May your compassion and empathy shine through to the young hero.”
In another flash of light, Cube was returned to the small island in the lake, now holding the young hero in his arms. He looked up at the tree, which emitted an air of mystery and curiosity. A small sneeze caused him to look down at Cyan – the infant shape. Yes. Cyan was a nice name for him.
Cube was by no means a parental figure, he even found himself lacking parental instincts, but at the sight of Cyan, he was filled with an insatiable need to protect and teach. He supposed it was the tree’s influence. Gently, he ran a hand over the barely visible feathers on Cyan’s cheek, causing the young hero to giggle and coo. His gaze returned to the tree, and he bowed once again, making great care to hold Cyan against his chest and not jostle the little tyke too much. “Thank you,” he murmured to the tree, earning a pleased hum that vibrated through the ground. Without any more words, Cube turned away and returned to his home for the night, now with a young hero, and a role which would soon become much, much more prevalent.