once upon a dream

Princess Cassandra of Auroria Daughter of Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip. Younger sister of Auroria's future king, Harry. Auradon's resident art nerd and hopeful future queen. Contrary to popular belief, I do not have a horde of woodland creatures that follows me to school (although I do love them, so never let me catch you being mean to animals!) PART OF AN AGH/DESCENDANTS AU

[teamdaniellecam]

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: I have tried! I don't know what it is - I wonder if I smell like a shark or something :(

Zoe: That's very true

Zoe: I'm sure we'd be invited! Most people in our class would be, probably, I can't imagine Will and Blake wanting to leave people out. But not wanting to drift is perfectly natural and it doesn't make you a bad person for wanting to maintain a friendship!

Zoe: I don't know. I haven't really...talked to Tim in depth much since the break-up. It's mainly pleasantries and "how was your day" and that sort of thing. I suppose I'm feeling a bit awkward about the way I ended things. Ugh. I'm so bad at being a good friend sometimes :(

Cassie: I doubt you smell like sharks! Although the salt could be a deterrent, they know not to drink salt water.

Cassie: I feel I'm the lucky one, Princess Zoe. After all, I'm not sure I ever truly had a best friend for real before you.

Cassie: It'll be the most memorable party of our entire lives, I think! Maybe even more memorable than our own weddings. Or mine, at least. I can't imagine people will have very much fun at mine.

Cassie: You shouldn't feel awkward! I'm quite certain he's understanding. He doesn't seem the type to get upset at you... does he? Or did he perhaps feel entitled to more somehow? Perhaps I don't know what I'm talking about as well as you do, I'm sorry. It seems good to establish the ground rules for this situation, though.

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: That would be such a cute club! I'm no good at feeding deer but birds at least aren't afraid to fly close to me.

Zoe: I don't know. Learning lessons the hard way isn't fun, but being stronger kind of is. :) Thank you. I think you've grown quite a bit too, my dear

Zoe: LOL! Does it make it better if I alter my message to 'stuff it where the sun don't shine'? It... IS calculated, but it isn't calculated to be malicious in any way? I feel like intention makes a difference and above it all, your intentions to rekindle a friendship are pure. And if you'd like to try, I'd like to go along with you.

Zoe: I feel like Jeremy might be insulted at his choice of 'date' but I can't picture him causing drama on his wedding day, you're right. You don't think that'd be taking advantage of Tim too much? I don't want him to feel like I'm stringing him along or anything.

Cassie: Have you ever tried? I'm sure you just need a little patience, the deer are very gentle.

Cassie: Unfortunately, sometimes there's no other way to learn them, it would seem. At least you'll never have to learn them alone.

Cassie: That's true. At this rate, do you think we'd even be INVITED to their wedding? I'd hate to have drifted apart so mcuh that we weren't even there to share in their special day.

Cassie: I suppose it depends on the circumstances. Does Tim seem to be interested in anyone else that he'd rather attend with? Or does he want to distance himself from you so other romantic possibilities realize he's available?

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Zoe: Brilliant! And once more art club comes in handy! Unless you think we should form another club together so that no one else could even try to interfere, which I'm not opposed to!

Zoe: Words of wisdom, Cassie :( I wish I could go back to not acknowledging it lol

Zoe: People can shove their opinions of you right up their butts :P You're a lovely lady and he'd be lucky to be your friend again. Blake is decidedly an individual. But he was a good person to talk to and put things in perspective when I was going through Gwen issues, and I'm sure he'd be thrilled if I volunteered to photograph him jumping off a vine or cliff into water or something like that. We could make time for them, if you wanted.

Zoe: He still is *eyes emoji* I do not know how she's stayed with him so long but it must be love. I suppose a wedding could be lovely. If I had a date :-P Which I won't. I do hope if it happens that Zac won't bring You Know Who. It would cause such unnecessary drama.

Cassie: Oh, I'm not sure there are any other clubs that I would be well suited to. Unless there was like, a club where we could feed animals during lunchtime.

Cassie: Do you really? I feel like you've grown so much this year, it's been incredible to watch on the outside, at least.

Cassie: Why, thank you, although I wouldn't want them to experience that kind of physical pain on my behalf. Not that opinions are physical entities but I was imagining some physical representation of an opinion going up there and -- oh, Merlin, please ignore me, I don't want to ride this thought train any longer! We could... Would you want to? Is it too strange? Or too... calculated?

Cassie: Do you really think anyone at the wedding would be unsupportive of his... whatever it is that he's in with Maya? And I'm sure you could have Tim escort you just as friends, your breakup isn't common knowledge, after all.

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Zoe: Of course

Zoe: Maybe it is. Maybe we're just too close to the picture to see the answer. Maybe it'll develop more quickly than we think. When did life get so uncertain lol?

Zoe: I'd assume so as well, yes, but I can't see us being part of the wedding party there :( We could try befriending them more strongly now but I suspect it'll seem disingenuous.

Zoe: Oh goodness what if Jeremy gets married next? *barf emoji*

Cassie: Perhaps we can start by having some sort of club meeting at lunchtime until it's simply natural for us to not be there, and no one questions our absence?

Cassie: I think life's always been uncertain; we just didn't acknowledge it until we got older and stopped having our parents take care of so many things on our behalf.

Cassie: I do miss my friendship with Will, but I'm afraid people will always suspect ulterior motives of me if I spend time with him :( And you and Blake don't have much in common, do you?

Cassie: Oh! Is he still dating Victoria? That could be possible, wouldn't a wedding in the family be glorious even if you two aren't all that close?

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: She's been pretty anti-social so far, hasn't she? It's hard to make friends when you're so intimidating, but if she does end up scoring a seat at our table, we can start hanging out in the art classroom during lunch. No one's going to tell us we can't, we're the school artists lol

Zoe: I feel like if I were from the Isle I'd want someone else from the Isle, too; it's not as if anyone here could ever pretend to understand their struggle, you know? And besides you're right, I feel like most people have pictured themselves with someone that we've already known all our lives and aren't really open to changing that picture.

Zoe: Oh! That's a good idea, actually. I haven't watched Bridesmaids too for that same reason.

Zoe: I wonder when our first friends will get married. I wonder if we'll have long to wait.

Cassie: Oh, that's brilliant, Zoe! Thank you, thank you, thank you. And it's not impossible to slowly transition lunch tables, either, I mean, Becca largely left us behind!

Cassie: I know that was meant to be a commentary on ow the picture is already set for other people but... that just made me remember that maybe the picture is set for us too. At least I have 30 with you to look forward to since my picture's all blurry between now and then :-p

Cassie: Well, I'd assume Will and Blake might be first, wouldn't you? But... I don't know that we fall close enough to be really involved on the inside of that wedding :(

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: I doubt anyone would ever have the gall to call you unkind, but I understand. You haven't had much of a reason to interact with her, it definitely doesn't seem like straight up avoidance.

Zoe: I'm very sure, thank you! He does remind me a bit too much of Tim, I think, which isn't a bad thing but which has proven not to work. That's not a bad idea, Cassie, thank you! I'll work on that :) Maybe so? I'm sure once everyone else starts pairing up it'll make sense to them right?

Zoe: Consider it done! I haven't seen it but I adore John Cusack so I must. Have you seen Bride Wars???

Cassie: What if someone... befriends her? Like they did with Leo and Kelsey? I'm not sure I could handle having to share a lunch table with her!

Cassie: I wonder if they'll be pairing up amongst themselves or with other people from Auradon. It's hard to fathom, we've spent our whole lives imagining who would find their way to each other out of the pool of people we already had to choose from!

Cassie: I haven't, no! I was saving it for whenever our first friend got married but we could always watch it a bit early :)

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Zoe: I'm sure Lauren grew up hearing the wrong account of reality :( I'd say I hope she listens to the truth but honestly I'd rather she just never talk to you at all.

Zoe: Oh no, that's totally fine! Truth be told, I already know I much prefer your company to Harry's, and while I think you're lovely I have no romantic aspirations on you so that's probably a sign. Any boy I make worthy of my time should be at least as fun to be around as you, I like that as a filtration method. That's true! Do you think any of them are going to end up being the kind to settle down? That's so hard to picture in my head.

Zoe: What a beautiful and tragic metaphor

Cassie: I don't know that I'll be able to ignore her forever, I worry that people will think I'm unkind if they notice. I just... hope they can go on not noticing for a bit longer.

Cassie: If you're sure! I suppose Harry might be a bit like Tim in that way; I'm sure he'd be very sweet in his efforts to woo you but if you two lack the spark, then there's not much to change that! Maybe you could make a list - pick out all the things you like best about being with your friends to know what you'll like about being with your future significant other? I don't know, maybe once they've seen us doing it for a while they'll get ideas to try?

Cassie: I've heard Say Anything is a film that you can't miss, perhaps we should watch that?

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: An anonymous writer could be fun except for the constant worry that someone would find out my secret identity O: Someone less anxious should do that lol. You're right. I fear he'd use basically anything as an excuse to get closer to Maya, and that is what it is, but their versions of our Auradonian legends are sure to be upsetting

Zoe:

Zoe: It's kind of like taking a photo. It can be beautiful and look just right but it isn't until you look at it through a telescopic lens that you realize it's been blurry the whole time, sometimes you just need a step back :( It might be better that he didn't fight it though? Can you imagine bickering over a breakup? It sounds horrible. Eh. I'd rather spend time with just you if that's fine.

Cassie: I'd hate to know the kinds of lies Lauren would be telling about my family in that situation, can you imagine? Mother and I are both so sure Maleficent's invitation to her christening was only lost in the mail, and she went to such measures to punish us for the postmans mistake!

Cassie: Well, it's not as though you've spent much time with Harry ALONE. Would you like to? I can conveniently make myself scarce the next time you visit, if you'd like. She must know, but perhaps they just do things differently over there. Maybe they're ALL like that - after all, Stella ruined Melanie's relationship and I haven't heard a whisper of her making an honest woman out of her for it.

Cassie: Or I suppose it's like a stock photo, too - it looks nice on the outside but you realize these people are just posing for it, there's no real fun or meaning to what's in the image. Of course that's all right! Just the two of us!

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: I'd be too afraid of being found out and hated, actually, now that I'm thinking about it, so perhaps it isn't for the best :-P I could suggest to Zac a segment about conspiracy theories though! He'd handle it better.

Zoe: I appreciate the support! I doubt it'll happen though, while Harry is absolutely lovely, I don't think I'm his type :-P Zac and you would be so much better than Zac and Maya ugh is that too mean to think?

Zoe: Anything's worth talking about if you need to talk about it. And yay! I'm completely willing to unmask and meet you afterwards

Cassie: Perhaps you could and you could just be an anonymous writer! Or he might use it as a chance to get closer to Maya, the villain children have such... interesting perspectives on Auradonian legends.

Cassie: Why shouldn't perfectly lovely and brilliant and kind be his type? You're entitled to your feelings, and I certainly don't think you're mean for them. Even if she weren't... who she is, it seems that she's taking him for granted a bit.

Cassie: I just feel silly, I suppose, for not seeing it sooner. He didn't even hesitate to agree that we weren't well-suited romantically, you know? Well, it wouldn't hurt to invite them - perhaps Amelia could come too?

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Zoe: You're right! I feel like they might be offended if I asked, though :( For some reason that made me want to start a podcast about conspiracies but I think I'd need more than one theory to be able to do that. It's still so hard to BELIEVE but then you see them at school, so separate, goodness.

Zoe: Being your sister really and truly would be such a silver lining

Zoe: *hugs* I'm sorry! But I hope the ball lifts your spirits! And we can hang out afterwards if you'd like, a girl's night sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Cassie: You might also want to begin in anonymity so as not to offend your fans too much right off the bat :-p Isn't Zac good at such things? He could help you with your very own radio show podcast!

Cassie: If you fell madly in love with my brother tomorrow I'd be completely crazy happy for you both, don't worry! And I meant no offense towards Zac, of course, you've just mentioned how enamored he is with Maya.

Cassie: It's all right, I suppose it's not worth talking about. I'd love that, actually! I'd feel more comfortable knowing that I'll have a friend who's willing to unmask and meet me afterwards.

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Zoe: You're right. Unless, of course, the time she was unconscious was exaggerated - we weren't there, for all we know, the Prince stumbled upon her immediately after... but I sound more like a conspiracy theorist the more I discuss this, oh goodness. Or Melanie and Trevor :( Those are two I never thought would actually group apart.

Zoe: You'll be a brilliant vassal

Zoe: Thank you for saying that

Cassie: It sounds as though the best people to ask would be the dwarves, their memories of the matter might be the most accurate. People seem to enjoy conspiracy theories very much these days, maybe you should share with a wider audience :p Beast, it's still so sad to even talk about, I really should make sure Trevor's holding up all right.

Cassie: With all the lovely things you've said about your brother, I'm sure I'd be happy about that match :-p At least I'd get to be your sister really and truly, though, although my brother is much more single and marriage-material than either of yours, no offense intended.

Cassie: Well... that person is officially not Mason. I talked to him about the things we discussed and we decided to go our separate ways before tonight's masquerade ball after all :(

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: The whole alternate story hinges on the fact that she wasn't actually poisoned, but rather her air supply was cut off and her esophagus only cleared by a bumpy road, and not by a true love's kiss! I almost wish it was true :( Thinking that his parents shared a true true love's kiss at one point just makes the whole venture seem less possible lol

Zoe: Perhaps :( But then I look at you and I think it all must mean something, it all must amount to something, because I think any province you get to be part of running is a lucky kingdom indeed! You have the makings of a great monarch, Cassie. I can see it every time I talk to you.

Zoe: It feels like our kingdom is full of characters made up of extremes lol. Right now, having friends who love me is a little easier than loving myself, but I've always been good at following a good lead :)

Zoe:

Cassie: That was quite a long time to be asleep under anything but magical means! No air for so long would have caused brain damage, I think. I suppose as hard as it is to accept, sometimes people really and truly do love each other and then grow apart. I mean, look at some of the relationships around us. God forbid they break up, but if they do does that mean Becca and Oliver never loved each other at all, or Gwen and Amelia?

Cassie: All I might ever be is a vassal for my brother, helping Harry watch over Auroria instead of ever ruling anywhere for myself. And that's all right; I wasn't interested in the ruling, after all, it was the person.

Cassie: I'm sure there must be someone more moderate out there, just waiting for you to see them for the very first time - either literally or metaphorically, of course. Well, fortunately your friends are never planning on leaving you alone

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Zoe: You give me too much credit

Zoe: They did, though their visions of freedom were quite different, and they ended up finding one in common that made them happy forever - the dream. Emma is lovely! I think she's splendid, she's just not who I ever expected to see as a queen. Her as the king's friend makes far more sense than her as his wife lol

Zoe: You aren't trying too hard, I'm just not trying enough because thinking of them makes me feel rain clouds above my head. They're just such opposites, you know? If neither of them worked for me, is there anyone who will? I'm sure the answer is yes, but right now it just feels like a no.

Zoe: It would certainly put the sleeping in sleeping beauty :-P Well, I'm not proposing matrimony to you just yet, Princess Cassie. I'm just saying if it came to that I think we'd be very happy :-P I have a feeling we're going to be friends forever without having to have a ceremony that says so, though.

Cassie: That seems a bit farfetched, though; if there was a poison apple lodged in her throat then it sounds more as if she'd choked to death rather than being poisoned, and if she'd choked she wouldn't have been able to be resuscitated as such. I know you want to believe the worst of him and his family but I don't think that story rings very true.

Cassie: But he doesn't even want a wife, he wants a husband! And no offense intended to Blake but he's certainly not who anyone would expect to help rule the country, either. Perhaps all these values we've been taught our whole life just... mean nothing. Maybe doing things the proper way doesn't guarantee that we're going to be loved by a handsome prince or become a fit queen someday :(

Cassie: It seems that you tried two extremes and now you just need to search for someone somewhere in the middle. Apparently the best advice is to just learn to love yourself and someone else will love you for it, and not rush it, but that seems too simple and entirely too difficult all at the same time.

Cassie: I have that very same feeling, Princess Zoe

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: I'm rather glad you didn't ask, actually - with everything going on I scarcely noticed and it would have made me feel horribly selfish :) it could be! I could be wrong and you two could have a softer quieter more subtle kind of love. Do you think true loves kiss only works if you know who your true love is, or would a kiss from someone who would be your true love but its still unknown work as well?

Zoe: Gwen's mother grew up a princess and her father grew up on the streets, they each wanted what the other had - but I suppose in personality they were similar to an extent. I know you didn't want to be intimidating, its just a matter of the numbers, I think. I'm not sick of hearing anything from you, hush :p I honestly have so much trouble remembering that part, it was too bizarre for my brain to fully grasp it lol. Honestlythe fact that he chose Emma should have keyed us in to the fact that he was hiding something much sooner.

Zoe: Perhaps. I don't know, having dated Dudebro and Tim, I don't feel like I'm any closer to knowing what kind of person I belong with, so did they really count as opportunities? :( I'm sorry! And I thank you for putting up with it, I know its unbecoming and not a good habit but its so easy to slip into. Kind people like you remind me to be kinder to myself and I hope I do the same for you.

Zoe: I vow as your friend to make sure you never sleep longer than twelve hours :-p Or maybe a full day, if you need the rest. I don't think I'd be unhappy, honestly? I love you and I feel inspired by you and spending time with you is always lovely and you're one of the best people I know. And imagine how aesthetically pleasing our wedding would be! You're a catch :-p but of course I'd never marry you against your will lol

Cassie: Or extremely well adjusted for not being bothered by your mother's tormentors son being here :-p I don't know, my mother and father of course had already met and were quite certain they loved each other but weren't... you know who's parents much more of an unknown? Although it hardly seems like they're true love these days so maybe it counts if it's true love at the time but needn't be true love forever?

Cassie: Status is just a societal construct; I don't think that really counts as being opposite. It's more about interests and values and priorities - and in a way they both wanted to be free, didn't they? Emma's lovely! It's just that their bond came out of nowhere, and they do seem to have maintained that unexpected camaraderie even if it's no longer playing at faux romance.

Cassie: You really feel as though you're not? It seems clear that you don't need someone self-absorbed, who's going to try to squash your passions and mold you into what he wants, but it also seems clear you need someone who will challenge you in ways Tim was too kind and timid to. Or at least that's how it sounds to me, perhaps I'm trying too hard to make meaning out of my observations and your words.

Cassie: Oh, no, a full day sounds frightful, twelve hours already sounds like far too much consecutively! Well, the wedding would be lovely, of course! I just wanted to make sure you weren't just doing it for the wrong reasons, because we could live perfectly amicably as just friends :-p

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: I can only imagine what you mean. I was a little wary of Leo at first but at least he's tried to acclimate, Lauren is just...something else. With arguably the most ruthless parent. I hope being here shows her there's another way, like it has for the others, but if it doesn't, you should know no one's going to let her lay a hand on you. And if by some giant fluke you do fall asleep, I'm going to make sure the right person kisses you so that you wake up as soon as possible if its the last thing I do.

Zoe: Okay good because I'm trying my best

Zoe: I wouldn't classify Gavin or Bethany as failures, actually. You need to be *trying* in order to fail, and trying means relationships, not sex. Will had one fake relationship and now he's practically married, and I'm sure you'll get the right guy on your next try, I'm the only one who's zero for two :( When you find the right person, no one will pity you ever again. I'm already prepared to be vastly jealous of whoever earns you lol

Zoe:

Zoe: If the unthinkable happens and we're still single when we're 30, we should just get married lol

Cassie: I'm so sorry for not asking you how you felt about him being here. You were just going through so much else at the time, it didn't seem like it was much of a priority. Except then we're right back to the part where we have no idea who the right person is, since I guess it's not actually my boyfriend :(

Cassie: Maybe! But if they are that's up to them to figure out, isn't it? Opposites do seem to work but I'm sure the other can work too - after all, Gwen's parents are a bit similar, aren't they? Maybe growing up with them gave her a different perspective. I didn't want to be intimidating, I just... wanted to be the queen. But not just to be queen, I'm sure you're sick of hearing that by now, though. Can you believe it's been a year since the engagement to Emma? Sometimes that feels like it was all just a strange dream.

Cassie: Or perhaps not trying is the biggest failure of all, since they're letting precious opportunities pass them by? I wish you wouldn't pity yourself so :( It hurts to see you so down on yourself when you've really done nothing wrong to deserve that sort of criticism.

Cassie: Of course

[auroriascassie]

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Zoe: *hugs* Paranoid is a strong word, and the truth is all groups of people have better and worse ones. I think focusing on the better people within any crowd is bound to make you happier, though. There are people and checks and balances meant to deal with the alternative, it doesn't have to be you

Zoe: Is it unsupportive of my best friend's relationship if I think Wake is much cuter than Gwenmelia??? Anyone who thinks your life lacks passion hasn't seen you paint before. Or take care of a little animal, or love your friends. Just because it looks different than other people's passion doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And if people get a chance to know you better, they'll see that, just as I do.

Zoe: Good luck, and if you need anything, let me know - I can be at Auroria in a heartbeat. Breakups don't happen a lot at all, but I'm the only one who's two for two, aren't I? Even D*vid has his next one all sewn up while I'm just going to date my way through the kingdom and end up with whomever hasn't already paired off.

Zoe: Sorry, I don't actually think that's going to happen, but at my most sad I worry :( Thank you for letting me whine, my dear. You've heard more of it than any one human probably should.

Zoe: Tim does deserve a soul mate. A great one. He's a very worthwhile guy. It's actually kind of hard to think of anyone who might be good enough for him since Gwen doesn't want to date him and, as far as I know, you don't either.

Zoe: But if you did, I'd encourage you! In case that's why you were asking or if you two get close at the ball, just so you know, I would be completely supportive!

Cassie: It's just been so hard since SHE got here. She's not even that friendly, you know? Kelsey and Leo at least tried to make friends, Lauren's so... spooky. Intimidating. What if she just wants revenge on me the same way her mother wanted it on mine? I don't want to go to sleep and wake up in a hundred years and realize you're all gone.

Cassie: As long as you're still glad Gwen is happy and think there's some part of Amelia that's good for her I think you're plenty supportive :-p Will and Blake are very different, they're childhood best friends and they're so opposite, Gwen and Amelia have much more similar personalities. Do you think it's my fault? That people don't get a chance to get to know me better?

Cassie: Well, if it makes you feel better, remember that there are people like Gavin who have clearly slept around trying to find the right person for them, that's sort of like failure, isn't it? And Will went on so many dates and even had a broken engagement before he ended up with Blake, there are certainly other people who can relate. And I may be about to have my first breakup, too, and everyone pitied me when Will got engaged to Emma, it may as well have been one.

Cassie: You don't ever have to apologize to me, Zoe. You're allowed to feel what you're going to feel