Pascale the cube lives in Quadriville, a bustling town filled with quirky, colorful characters. He is a kind and gentle soul who always wants to fit in and feel comfortable around his friends. But there is one little problem—Pascale is terribly anxious.
Whenever something startles him or makes him uneasy, parts of his cubic body crack and crumble, sometimes even breaking off entirely. His friends have learned to recognize the little piles of debris Pascale leaves behind whenever he is worried, and this makes him feel even more self-conscious.
One of his closest friends is Henry, a cheerful and lively cube known for his love of gadgets and electronics. While Pascale admires Henry’s enthusiasm and creativity, he can’t help but feel a pang of dread whenever Henry’s devices buzz, beep, or whirr. The noise makes Pascale’s edges shiver, and tiny fractures appear before he can even control his nerves.
One day, during a neighborhood gathering, Henry proudly presents his latest invention: a cube-sized synthesizer that plays quirky electronic tunes. As the device sparks to life, Pascale feels his body tense up. A loud beep echoes through the square, and with a soft clink, a piece of Pascale’s corner chips off and falls to the ground. A few nearby cubes notice and whisper among themselves.
Mortified, Pascale tries to hide his broken pieces, but his friends have already seen. One of them, a bubbly cube named Meli, approaches gently. “Are you okay, Pascale?” she asks.
Pascale tries to smile, but his face cracks a little more. “I’m fine… just a bit overwhelmed.”
Henry, noticing his friend’s discomfort, quickly switches off the synthesizer. “Hey, Pascale, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize it was too much. You know, you don’t have to stay if it’s making you anxious.”
Taking a deep breath, Pascale appreciates Henry’s kindness. “No, it’s okay. I just need a little break.” He carefully gathers his broken bits and retreats to a quieter spot.
Sitting alone, Pascale wonders why he can’t be more like his friends—confident and unbreakable. But just then, Meli joins him, offering a small flower she has found nearby. “You know,” she says, “it’s okay to be a little fragile. We all have our cracks and chips sometimes. It just means you’re feeling something deeply.”
Pascale smiles, a genuine one this time. He knows he can’t change his nature overnight, but he is grateful to have friends who care about him—even when he falls apart.
