Archive of Our Own ^beta

"So your father built you out of different parts, assembled you, gave you an artificial heart, and then charged you up to life?"

"And your father carved you out of different wood pieces, assembled you, and then had a fairy bring you to life?"

"We're so alike!" Robecca and Cedar declare at the same time. The two begin to giggle with the shared reaction. The two were seated deep within the Enchanted Forest, though the groans and croaks of the Hallowed Woods were audible from the open portal. The girls had made themselves a small campfire, though Robecca had provided the mocha fear-puccinos while Cedar provided the dragon-fire smores. Their bags were also beside them as they sat on a blanket.

"I cannot believe there is someone who understands me so much! I mean, I was a revelation to my father's technological studies and advancements! I was the biggest thing before sliced bread! Literally, the bread slicer was invented 40 years after my creation." Robecca explains as she gestures with her cup. She was careful not to spill anything.

"And I never thought I'd make a friend who is so much like me! Puppets are really hard to make in life-size forms, and making the deals with fairies are especially tricky! Especially since you can't get their contact information because they won't share their name." Cedar remarks as she roasts a marshmallow over the fire. She was careful to keep her hands from the flames. "So how does your body process food?"

"I have an internal boiler that generates it into steam energy that I use. What about you?"

"Apparently my insides are sort of like a Venus flytrap and has a corrosive acid that breaks everything down."

"Yeah, that sounds like Venus. Oh, so you mentioned that you're into art, right?"

"I love art! Everyone at school knows me as a painter and drawer, but I also do carving as well! People think it's ironic, but I know best how to go with the grain. Well actually my dad knows more than I do, but I still know a lot!" Cedar explains as her eyes were brightened by the flames of the fire. "I've painted wall murals for the school, I've drawn up poster designs for clubs. I even helped design our school's new logo!"

"Really? That's incredible!"

"Thank you! I'm really glad I get to make so much art. It's a really nice output. What about you?"

"Oh, me? No, I couldn't draw a circle if I wanted to! But I am pretty well-known for my skills on the roller derby rink. I'm captain of our roller derby team as well as a regional solo champion." Robbeca explains with a grin, though her eyes soon widen in horror. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be boastful-"

"Boastful? That's so cool you're a captain and a champion! Roller derby sounds so hexcellent! Or, uhm, creeperific?"

"That's how you say it, yes. And, I suppose. I just don't like it when I sound pretentious." Robecca says while almost shying behind her cup.

"But that's what you're good at and you love! You should boast when you know you're good at something! And wouldn't all of your teammates say the same?"

"I mean I did kind of inspire the girls' team in the first place." Robecca murmurs before taking a sip.

"You inspired the girls' team? That's so incredibly spelltacular!" Cedar cheers as she drops her poker. "You're a local legend of your school! Be proud of that!"

"But I don't want to be sounding like Toralei and thinking I'm some queen of the jungle. I wouldn't be anywhere without my team-"

"And they wouldn't be there without you!" Cedar retorts, though she was smiling as she leaned close to Robecca's face. "You're hexcellent at roller derby, and you're a legend! Own up to it!"

Robecca stares in surprise, though she does smile as her hands lower. "Thanks. I suppose I should own up to it more. How come you don't worry about being a boaster?"

"Because I had to realize that I can never tell a lie, so when I say that you are an incredibly talented roller derby champion, it is universally true! Just like saying  Cerise is the quickest track star champion Ever After High has ever had, or that Raven is the most talented witch ever!" Cedar declares as she bolts up with her arms in the air.

Robecca giggles as she looks up at Cedar. "And how you're a highly renowned and talented artist?"

Cedar's eyes widen, and she quickly sits back down on the blanket while putting her hands in her lap. "I don't know about that-"

"What? You were just telling me to own up to my own skills? And you're not doing that?"

"I mean I'm still learning to draw and paint, and I only know a little about carving-"

"You've done work for the entire school! You made their new logo, you just said it minutes ago! Come on, you're a talented artist!" Robecca insists as she lightly nudges Cedar. She giggles when Cedar just nervously mumbles. "So you can give the advice but not take it?"

"Shush, I can be a hypocrite."

Robecca laughs harder as she sets her cup down. "You are very talented. You should believe that in yourself."

Cedar croaks out a nervous whimper as she just stares at her feet. Her eyes do move up and widen. "Oh shoot, my marshmallow!"

"Huh?" Robecca asks, and she sees the poker in the fire along with the melted remains of the sugary confection. "Oh, I got it! Well, uh," Robecca pauses as she holds the red-hot poker, "I got the poker. Uhm, maybe you could make a new smore?" She asks while going to offer the poker to Cedar. She didn't notice her own fingertips going red.

"I'll," Cedar leans away, "probably wait for that to cool down first."

"But it's just- ohhhhhh, right. Heat resistance, yeah." Robecca says as she sets the poker in the grass. Thankfully nothing caught fire. "Sorry, I forget that I feel temperatures differently."

"No it's okay. It's also that, heat and wood don't always go together."

"That too."

"So do you just not feel temperatures at all?" Cedar asks as she unwraps the chocolate bar for the smores. It was a spicy chocolate said to be made from dragon flames.

"I feel temperatures. I can feel warmth if it gets anything above 300 F, but it's not totally unbearable. Though I will say I am absolutely terrible in the cold, absolutely horrible. I got a hug from my friend Abbey once- she's all about the cold- and I ended up making myself dizzy because of the rapid temperature change. I was staggering around like a blinded cyclops for an hour!" Robecca explains as she continues to wildly gesture.

"Oh gosh. How are you in the winter?"

"Well ironically the most popular, since I'm a walking heater for my friends." Robecca remarks, and she smiles with Cedar's laughter. "What about you? How are you with temperatures?"

"I actually feel them like other living things do. Though I'm just weaker to fire because of how much easier I could burn. I'm also really bad with water because if I got wet, my body would bloat and my joints would get all terrible."

"Ouch. Rainy days must be a pain."

"I always carry an umbrella, a rain jacket, and if it's raining before I leave my room, I take a potion that prevents water from messing up my body."

"Wow." Robecca murmurs in awe. "I still can't believe you have so much access to magic in this world. Monster High has a couple spellcasters and witches, but, just a world that is so incredibly centered on magic and spells and magical beings. It's so incredible!" She declares as she throws her arms up.

"Well Monster High is really great with its technology! I don't think anyone here could ever make an automaton like you!" Cedar playfully retorts.

"But still! You just talk casually about potions and spellbooks and- and dragons! Jinafire is the only dragon I know, but you have an entire sports team to dragons, and you have griffins and fairies and- agh, this world is so incredible!" Robecca insists as she shakes around and falls on her back.

Cedar giggles as she puts her hands to her mouth. "Are you that amazed?"

"Yes!" Robecca answers with her arms up.

Cedar laughs more, but she does lay back to be level to Robecca. "I'm sure your world is just as incredible. Whenever I can visit." She adds on while glancing at Robecca.

"I don't know. I think there's a reason Cupid recommended me visiting. My world is pretty scary compared to here."

"It can't be that scary!"

"Have you ever seen a zombie?"

"What's a zombie?"

"Point proven. I think Cupid and I will need to give a thorough rundown of Monster High before you can visit." Robecca states as she stares up at the sky.

"Well then we'll need to schedule that soon, because I want to visit as soon as I can."

Robecca's eyes widen a bit, and she looks over to Cedar. "Really?"

"Yes! I want to see your world and meet all of your friends! And you have to be my guide, because you got to see my world with me, so now I need to see your world with you!" Cedar answers as she looks at Robecca.

Robecca feels her core reach above 300 F as she meets Cedar's gaze. "I, uh, of course. I'll show you my world at- at some point." She musters as she glances away, moving her hands to her waist. Why am I warming up so much? We're just talking about our similarities. Cupid even said herself that we'd have a lot in common and-... wait a minute.

"Robecca look!"

"Huh, what?" Robecca asks as she nervously looks around. She pauses when she sees a glimmer of turquoise in the air. "What in the-"

"Cluster moths!" Cedar squeals as she sits up.

"Cluster whats?" Robecca questions before seeing more turquoise blots in the sky. There were also light pink, bright yellow, and blood-orange blots as well.

"They're moths that have the refractive colorations of gemstones! The fire must've drawn them in! They're the prettiest insects in the entire world! At least I think they are! Just look at them!" Cedar insists as she stands up. "They're like living, breathing pieces of art! Just look how beautiful they are!" She cheers as she bounces around while trying to see all of the moths. "Oh, hello little friend!" She greets as a turquoise moth lands in her hair. She just squeals more as she holds her arms out, and a few more moths land on her body. "They must think I'm a tree. Oh, look at them, Robecca." She whispers as her eyes were watching the other moths fly around.

Robecca slowly sat up in her spot, but she just silently watched Cedar as the marionette collected more and more moths on her body. She watched how Cedar repressed her giggling as a yellow moth crawled onto her nose. A few were settled on her arms, though most of them decorated her hair like bows. Robecca rests her crossed arms on her knees, and she keeps her eyes on Cedar while the marionette whispers to the insects. Quiet words of affirmation, praise, or greeting. Robecca could feel her core growing burning hot.

Maybe I should have realized this sooner when Cupid did this buddy-system thing.

"Robecca, are you seeing this?"

"Hmm?" Robecca hums, and she focuses back as Cedar had a couple moths settled in her cupped hands.

"They're matching." Cedar whispers as she stares at the moths. One moth was a light pink and the other a blood-orange, but they both had a blemish mark on their right wing in a red color. Cedar smiles at the sight, and she brightens up as she sees Robecca step in front of her. "Look, they have matching marks. They must be soulmates."

"They must be." Robecca murmurs, and she reaches a finger out to lift a turquoise moth from Cedar's arm. She hums in joy as it doesn't fly away. "Say, Cedar, do you ever dance?"

"Dance? I mean, when we have school dances and all. Oh, what are your proms like? Do you have a different name for thronecoming-"

"Would you like to dance?"

"Huh?" Cedar asks in surprise, but she doesn't react as the two moths fly away.

"Would you like to dance? With me?" Robecca asks as she offers her hand, letting the moth fly away. Her eyes were soft along with her smile.

Cedar stares in awe, though she grins as she takes Robecca's hand. She wasn't even bothered by the moths flying away. "Okay! Don't we need music?"

"Do we?" Robecca asks in return. She already pulled Cedar closer and taking light steps in a pattern. She waited for a nod before resting her hand on Cedar's hip. She hoped her body wasn't too warm as Cedar rested a hand on her shoulder. "Do you dance often?"

"Not really. I think I'm a klutz when I dance."

"I don't think you're a klutz. Took me forever to learn how to dance."

"I'm still trying to learn how to dance."

"I can teach you if you'd like."

Cedar looks up at Robecca in surprise, though she pauses when she sees a moth nestled on top of Robecca's goggles. It was the blood-orange moth with the red mark. "...Would it be like this?"

"If this is the teaching method you like." Robecca assures, leading Cedar in a waltz as they carefully stepped around the fire.

"Then I would love for you to teach me." Cedar states with a smile.

The two continue to dance around the fire, with the blood-orange moth staying on Robecca's goggles. Neither girl seemed to notice the light pink moth on Cedar's hair, or its red mark.