Chasing Fate
Summary: Sofia is in for quite a shock when an alternate version of herself appears, bearing surprising information that no one ever could have seen coming. (Photo cover and plot by MarionetteJ2X. Story works as a meeting of Alternate Realities. Ties to my plot of the Never Realm.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First. I own the concept of the Never Realm. The Alternate Reality characters and locations/situations belong to MarionetteJ2X. She also created the photos and plot concept.
A/N: Hi, guys! We're about to get into the concept of the Never Realm, and this story is the start of it. I will let you know that this is going to hit probably all of your emotions: sadness, anger, shock, happiness, disbelief, wonder, and everything in between. Lol. There are ten chapters involved with this story, and all I can say is brace yourself, because chapter one alone will smack you in the face. 😉 With that said, thanks, MJ2X, for outlining this for me! And I hope you all enjoy!
PS: I know some of you are probably wondering how you can distinguish between the Ever Realm group and the alternate group. When the crossover occurs, that will be addressed, so stay tuned. :D
Chapter 1: Once Upon Another Time
Believe it or not, this world is full of mysterious elements and realities. Alternate realities, as a matter of fact. At any given time, while people are going about their daily lives in one dimension, a parallel yet very different reality could be happening in another dimension. That is the case with the Abstruce Realm. And what's that, you ask?
The Abstruce Realm was similar to the Ever Realm, although it consisted of quite a different environment. In that realm, magical wars were the norm. Magically-inclined people such as warlocks, wizards, sorcerers, witches, and so many others had trained since birth to be able to defend themselves and their kingdoms against the dark and evil entities that threatened them on a daily basis.
Enchancia also existed in the Abstruce Realm. But unlike its counterpart, the reality for this kingdom was also quite a bit different.
For starters, Cedric had successfully taken over the kingdom of Enchancia, but he'd been stopped by his own apprentice and other good sorcerers, and he'd been held a prisoner in the dungeon for the last seven years. Unlike Cedric, though, Wormwood had escaped during the chaos and hadn't been seen since.
Contrary to his counterpart, this Cedric had not received the same sort of mercy and second chance, much to his misfortune. Even Sofia's pleading with her father couldn't change his mind, especially since they were in a war-torn country and he couldn't take any chances. Still, the princess wouldn't allow her former friend to rot away in prison without some form of company, so after a brief period of time from his initial imprisonment, she began visiting him almost daily.
That was seven years ago. Now eighteen, Sofia was still a kind-hearted soul who valued the former royal sorcerer's friendship, but she had quite a few distinct differences about her when compared to the Ever Realm Sofia.
For instance, she never wore any princess gowns or Protector outfits; instead, she always wore armor, which was silver and spanned across her outfit almost like the top layer of her old gowns would. There was a tiny strawberry emblem etched into the left side of the armor's collar, and her shoulders were capped in protective plates that had designs similar to the floral pattern found on her childhood dresses. Her amulet still remained, though it was embedded in the armor itself, enhancing her powers that she'd been practicing and perfecting the last several years (much of which was thanks to Cedric, since he'd taught her how to use them properly to protect herself; despite his situation, he had no intention of allowing the princess to get hurt). The outfit that lay beneath the armor was rather simple: a long-sleeved black shirt, black leggings, a purple skirt that just brushed her knees, and matching boots. Her much longer hair was typically tied back into a braid due to the hazardous nature of her realm, though several shorter pieces that hung around her face had been snapped into structured hair pieces.
Another difference about this Sofia was her personality. While still kind at heart, she'd lost that childlike innocence long ago because of the warlike nature of her world. She tried looking on the bright side, but she often felt disappointed when reality dragged her back to her senses. She was far more grounded and less likely to instantly trust others. She also found herself not wanting to give others the benefit of the doubt, simply because she'd been lied to and disillusioned more often than not. It was a sad fact to face, but it was something she'd come to expect.
Although Cedric had been imprisoned, Sofia still cared a great deal about him and still valued whatever friendship she had left with the sorcerer. It was for this reason that she often visited him in his cell, either to scold him for his actions in the past or even just to talk. She'd chat with him and tell him how her day was, bring him food when she could, and even ask for magical advice considering the raging wars around them.
Cedric, for his part, was a great deal different from his own counterpart. Unlike the Ever Realm Cedric, he hadn't been redeemed. He hadn't been set free. Wormwood had abandoned him immediately. His heart had hardened more against the outer world, especially toward the king—a man who'd shown him little empathy, even though he'd attempted to explain his reasoning for overtaking the kingdom. As it turned out, Roland had no interest in his purpose; he just wanted him out of the way: forgotten, alone, and just a bad memory he had to contend with.
Cordelia had taken over as royal sorceress in his place, though it was more of an obligation than a desire in this case. She'd forbidden Calista from visiting him after his capture, because she didn't want her daughter seeing what a callous, cold man her uncle had become. As far as Cordelia was concerned, Cedric was no longer the resident of the prisoner in the dungeon. Some power-hungry entity was.
Of course, that wasn't the case, because Cedric was still very much himself, just in a direr situation. However, it was hard to reason with a woman who barely let him talk over her ranting and chiding anyway. So he didn't try.
When Sofia did visit him, Cedric was rather cold and standoffish toward her. In reality, it was because he loathed himself for losing his friendship with the princess and clearly breaking her heart. In order to abstain from causing her more heartache, he did whatever he could to keep things cordial yet distant between them. The less she knew and the less information he volunteered, the less likely she was to get hurt again. While he deeply valued the interaction he still had with Sofia (who visited him either without her father knowing or despite his commands not to, though he wasn't sure which), he wouldn't admit it out loud and locked away his emotional struggles deep within his heart.
One day, while the magical wars had been worsening, the word got out that some dark entity had joined the battle field, acting as an unstoppable murderer. Sorcerers, wizards, witches, and any other magical people were no match for it and were falling one after another. Many kingdoms had also been destroyed because of this wicked entity, and it appeared that Enchancia was going to be next in line.
King Roland, whose appearance was much older than his counterpart's due to the stress of the wars, had come to a conclusion that seemed both desperate and illogical on his part. But if he wanted to stop the dark entity, he felt he had no choice.
"Guards," the man called, frowning as two bowed before him. "Bring me Cedric."
"Sire?" one asked in surprise. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
The king growled. "You dare question your king?"
"N-No, sir! W-We will retrieve him now." He bowed again and turned, hurrying away with his partner.
"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Daddy?" Amber asked uncertainly, folding her arms. The future queen was a bit thinner and paler than her counterpart, and she kept her hair a little shorter too—similar to her childhood days. "If you release Cedric now, who knows what he will do? You locked him up for a good reason, so I see no point in letting him go now."
"I'm afraid we don't have much of a choice, Amber," Roland responded irritably. "In case you haven't noticed, this kingdom is overrun by some form of malevolent magical mayhem, and I'm not exactly equipped to battle magic. We need someone who knows how to counter it."
"What about Cordelia?"
"She's actually performing her duties well, and I have no desire to put her on the battlefield."
Amber's eyes widened. So that was his plan? "Daddy… If Sofia finds out…"
"I'll deal with that later." He folded his arms as the guards entered with Cedric, who didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight. "Speaking of which, she should be back from the most recent battle by now; go get her, please."
The blonde girl nodded distractedly, her breath catching in her throat when she saw Cedric for the first time in years. While she could tell he still looked much the same, it was obvious the lack of sunlight and sustenance had taken its toll on him. Like her father, the sorcerer had aged a bit more from stress—for a very different reason, she was sure. Shuddering inwardly, she turned and left the throne room.
"Cedric," Roland began regally, frowning moderately at the other man before him.
"King Roland," Cedric returned, a grimace threatening to overtake his features. It was clear that the two still loathed each other, though both were attempting to be civil enough to communicate with each other. "How may I help you?"
That brought a slight smirk to the king's face. Help him? Since when did Cedric actually help anyone? At least, that was his perspective. "I have a proposition for you. I'm willing to set you free…"
Cedric frowned. "I sense conditions coming, Your Majesty…"
"Correct. I'm willing to set you free if you protect all of Enchancia and our people with the other sorcerers."
"No offense, King Roland, but why would you even want me protecting this kingdom? I was clearly locked away for a reason regarding it, so I'm just the tiniest bit baffled."
Roland glared at his former friend. "I see seven years locked in a dungeon has made you a great deal more acerbic."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I usually only have my conscience to talk to, and even he seems to hate me now." He turned when he saw someone entering from the corner of his eye. His movement caused his chains wrapped around his arms and legs to clink together, and the guards' grips tightened on him. He blinked when he saw Sofia and Amber step up beside their father. 'Sofia,' he thought. What was she doing here?
"Sofia would be with you on the battlefield during any fights," the king informed the surprised sorcerer. "And part of your job, aside from protecting our kingdom, would be to keep my daughter safe. She's the only one in the royal family with the power to potentially defeat the enemy."
Cedric's eyes hadn't left Sofia's since she entered, and what Roland said finally registered in his brain. "I'll do it," he declared, turning to look at the expectant king. "I'll… I'll help Princess Sofia with her mission, and I will keep her and the kingdom protected, with my life. You have my word, Your Majesty."
Sofia couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face when her former mentor made that declaration. He wanted to protect her? What she would have given to hear those words much earlier…
"Very well." Roland nodded toward the guards. "Release him."
Without hesitation this time, both guards loosened the shackles from around Cedric's arms and legs, setting him free for the first time in years.
Cedric gasped in surprise when he felt himself suddenly wrapped into a tight hug. Glancing down, he noticed that Sofia was the one who'd enveloped him in her embrace. It had been so long since he'd last gotten one of her hugs… Too long. But he couldn't allow himself to return her affection when he was being scrutinized by so many eyes, so he gently patted her armored back before frowning. That wasn't right. Sofia and armor… Of course, he'd seen it often when she'd visited him in his cell, but he'd never gotten to actually hug her through the bars. His gaze softened in dismay as his former apprentice smiled up at him. What had become of the old Sofia anyway? Why was she this warrior now, instead of the carefree princess he once knew?
"It's good to have you back, Mr. Cedric," she told him, though the smile that accompanied her words didn't quite match her eyes.
He sighed, nodding. "Thank you, my dear."
A few months had passed, and Cedric and Sofia had taken that time to get caught up and rekindle their friendship. There was still that uncertain barrier between them, which they both hated, but it was a product of the events in the past. Still, they'd also spent time training together and chatting about magic like the old days.
So it was a complete surprise for the sorcerer when, during a lunch break, Sofia revealed something he never could have seen coming.
"I hope you'll meet my daughter soon." She grinned as he choked on his sandwich, sputtering and gaping at her in shock. Upon seeing his baffled expression, she couldn't help it. She burst into laughter.
"D-D-D-Daughter?!" Cedric stared at her with wild eyes, even more surprised when she fell off the boulder she'd been sitting on and rolled on the ground, laughing harder. "Fia!" That was another thing that was different about their relationship. He'd adopted the nickname 'Fia' for Sofia, which she found rather endearing. "You… I… When were you going to tell me? You're married already?" He shook his head, a disheartened look on his face as he looked away from her. "And you…never even told me?"
Sofia smiled gently as she calmed down, and she pushed herself up and carefully wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. She laughed gently when he didn't protest the hug for once, but he wasn't returning it either. 'We'll have to work on this,' she thought, sighing inwardly. "I'm not exactly married…" She gasped as he placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back a bit and glaring at her. "Mr. Cedric?"
"What do you mean, you're not married? So you're telling me that some man you fancied just…got you pregnant and then, what? Gallivanted off on his next baby quest?"
The princess blushed darkly. "Mr. Cedric! No! It's not like that…" She sighed as he eyed her pointedly, lowering his hands and folding his arms instead. "I…adopted her."
He gasped, his mouth agape for a few moments before he finally managed, "W-What?"
Sofia smiled sheepishly. "Sorry… I guess I should have started with that. In any case, I haven't had time to 'fancy guys,' as you say, because I've kind of been busy trying to protect my kingdom and visit you in my spare time."
"O-Oh…" He lowered his arms and rubbed one carefully before sighing as Sofia moved next to him, and he had no choice but to wrap his arm around her. "I wish you would have told me this sooner…"
"I know. I was waiting for the right time." She looked down at her hands as she absently played with her fingers. "I call her Little Berry. I found her among the rubbles of the war. She didn't have parents, siblings, a home, or anything. Not even toys. I brought her back to the castle and nursed her back to health. Everybody became so fond of her and loved having her around so much that I told them I'd adopt her, and so I did." She smiled up at him. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner…" She then stood, holding out her hands and grinning as he accepted them. She pulled him to his feet. "Just like old times, hmm?"
"Very funny," he remarked while smirking at her laughter.
"To make up for the surprise, how would you like to meet my Little Berry? I'm sure she'd just adore you."
"I don't know," he said uncertainly. "I'm not the best with children."
"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard." She rolled her eyes playfully. "Just because they scare you—"
"Excuse me, but… Well, I don't exactly have a counterargument for that, but still." He scoffed as she laughed.
"Amber's watching after her right now while James is out here with us on the front lines, just like she always does." She smiled convincingly as he sighed. "I just know you two are going to hit it off. C'mon, Mr. Cedric."
"Very well… Let's go see this little fruit child."
Sofia rolled her eyes as she grabbed his arm and briskly led him back toward the castle.
Amber glanced up from Sofia's bed when she heard the door open. She smiled when she saw her sister entering the room, but she seemed a bit perplexed when Cedric followed her. "What are you two doing back here so soon?"
"There's not much going on today," Sofia told her. "Besides, Mr. Cedric never got to meet my daughter."
"It's still so weird to hear you say that," Amber laughed. She gestured toward a tiny girl who seemed to be hiding behind a stack of pillows. "Little Berry, your mama is here."
"Mama?" The little girl in question, who was very tiny and had pink hair that brushed her shoulders and a flowy red dress, popped up from behind the pillows and jumped from the bed, landing in Sofia's arms. "MAMA!"
Sofia laughed, hugging the little girl. "Aw, my precious little girl. I've missed you. Have you been a good girl for your Auntie Amber and Miss Violet today?"
The little one nodded excitedly. "I good girl! And we play 'I spy!'" She grinned. "I win!"
"One time, and she thinks she's the champion," Amber scoffed playfully.
"Aww, that's good to hear, my little one." Sofia twirled Little Berry around, showering her face with tiny kisses and causing the girl to squeal and giggle in excitement.
The little girl paused when she finally noticed Cedric, who appeared conflicted—like he was torn between shock and awkwardness, especially after having heard the child call his former apprentice 'Mama.' It was so weird! And he even appeared to be trying to suppress a laugh or stop himself from melting at the lovely sight before him. It was a rare display of pure, honest happiness—something that didn't happen for them very often these days.
Sofia noticed the quick exchange between the girl and the sorcerer, and she smirked before placing Little Berry onto the bed before moving back toward a startled Cedric, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the bed so that he and Little Berry were standing directly before one another.
"Oh, my darling little girl, I want you to meet my bestest friend in the world: Mr. Cedric."
"She still considers me her best friend? Even after…?" Some things, he figured, would never change.
"He's the one I've been telling you stories about. The greatest sorcerer in the history of Enchancia." She winked toward Cedric, who seemed to be flushing in embarrassment from her praises about him.
"Hello," he managed meekly, waving somewhat awkwardly toward the child with his free hand.
The little girl stared at him for a few moments, her eyes observing him carefully. She then noticed that Sofia was still holding Cedric's hand and laughing at his clearly uncomfortable reaction. She finally smiled and hurried toward the sorcerer, who was startled when she jumped at him, causing him to release Sofia's hand just so that he could catch her. The child beamed up at Cedric. "Papa!"
Cedric and Sofia blushed heavily and gasped. "WHAT?!"
Amber blinked. "Well, I didn't see that one coming…" She snickered at the friends' embarrassed reactions.
Little Berry's lip trembled as she noticed that Cedric seemed to be frozen, just staring at her. "You… You not…my Papa?" Tears began forming in her eyes as she sniffled.
Cedric panicked and glanced toward Sofia. "FIX THIS."
Sofia gaped at him before frowning. "What do you want me to say?! 'Yes, he's your Papa!?'"
"Yay!" the little one cheered happily, hugging Cedric tightly. "Papa!"
"Ugh…" He glared at his former apprentice, sighing. "Well, this is just delightful."
Sofia then sighed, a smile finding its way to her face. "It actually kind of is…" She nodded toward the pink-haired girl, who had her head resting on Cedric's shoulder and a content smile on her face. "It's not exactly how I saw the meeting between you guys going, but…" She shrugged. "Maybe she's just what you need to soften that hardened heart of yours."
Cedric rolled his eyes as he gently patted the girl's back. "Like that's ever going to happen."
Amber scoffed before gesturing toward him. "Hello?"
He froze and groaned as the princesses laughed. "This cannot be happening…" But one glance down at the serene smile on the face of the little one in his arms, and he sighed. "And still… Maybe it won't be so bad."
"Right," the blonde princess quipped with a grin, "Papa."
Cedric blushed again before glowering at her. "Very funny, Princess Amber."
From then on, Cedric and Sofia continued working together on the battlefield and with training, and he often visited Little Berry to spend some time with her. He figured that, since she was essentially orphaned, she could use some sort of stability in her life. While he didn't quite fit the typical 'father' role—and likely never would, as far as he was concerned—that little girl saw something in him that made her feel happy and secure (and trust him when he said that the irony did not escape him). And every so often, he'd find himself rocking her to sleep or reading a story to her at night while Sofia rested beside them, sometimes falling asleep herself. It had been years since he'd felt so peaceful and contented, and he would have given anything for that to last forever.
But far too often, it seems the best things never do…
The whole kingdom was under siege. It had all happened so fast… Hundreds of warriors had infiltrated Dunwiddie and attacked the armed sorcerers, who were protecting the small town. Each fell, one by one.
Cedric and Sofia immediately took action, rushing to defend their kingdom. The dark entity that had often been spoken of was upon them, and they both battled against it. Fighting off the entity proved extremely difficult, if not impossible, as both friends became bruised and a bit broken, though they continued to fight. However, the entity was too powerful for them both, noted especially as the wicked being began gathering dark magic before hurling it at the princess.
"SOFIA!"
Sofia whirled to Cedric. He never called her by her real name unless it was important. She gasped in shock as he jumped in front of her, taking the full blast of dark energy himself and collapsing to the ground, still as stone.
Sofia stared in horror as she saw the sorcerer lying motionless on the ground. She immediately, clumsily, hurried over to him and dropped to her knees, desperately trying to feel for a pulse. Her blood ran cold as she realized how weak the pulse beneath her fingers was. Tears filled her eyes, nearly blinding her vision as she made out the sorcerer smiling weakly at her.
The weakened sorcerer reached out a severely bruised hand to caress her left cheek, where he noticed a deep scar forming from their recent battle. His fingers gently traced it as she sniffled. "Don't cry, my dear… I never meant to make you cry…"
"Mr. Cedric…"
"I wish I'd told you before how much I cherished your friendship and the love you showed me when no one else ever would…" He felt himself growing weaker, but he wouldn't succumb to his injuries until he'd told her everything he deemed important. She deserved it… "I value every second you and I spent together, Fia… You, and me, and Little Berry… I just wish I could be with you both longer. I'm so sorry…" With the little energy he had remaining, he pushed himself up and gently kissed the princess on the cheek before releasing a chilling exhale, which caused him to collapse to the ground, succumbing to his injuries and fate.
"Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked uncertainly, reaching out to caress his face, brushing his bangs aside. She gasped when she felt no pulse this time. Heard no breathing. Felt no heartbeat. Her friend was… "MR. CEDRIC! No! NO!" It was like a dam had burst as she sobbed, throwing herself onto Cedric's lifeless body and attempting to hug him one last time. Those arms that would never hold her again. Those hands she could never hold…
A dangerous, dark laughter cut through the silence and straight to the princess's heart. The entity was mocking her now. It clouded her mind until she screamed, her amulet producing a bright pink light that spread throughout the entire kingdom. People stopped their battles as they instantly felt the surge of light of sorrow from the grieving princess; they dropped their weapons almost immediately.
The dark entity was affected by the light and was weakened from Sofia's outburst. As the light diminished, she knew—they all knew—that the war was over. Finally over… The power she'd released unto them was too much that the enemy had just surrendered. The entity was too weakened to battle now.
"I'll be back, little princess!" the entity promised with a dark snarl. "You saw what I did to your friend. Don't think I won't do the same to you and every other person you love!"
Sofia glared at the dark entity with an anger and hatred she never knew she could possess.
"In fact, why don't I just kill your beloved sorcerer in every timeline, just so you can suffer the loss of your best friend over and over again?" It laughed evilly before creating a portal. "Next stop: the Ever Realm. Come and get me, Princess!" With that, the entity vanished.
Sofia yelled in vain as she attempted to cast a destruction spell, groaning in misery as she realized the portal had sealed before she could destroy the wicked being. She looked down at her fallen friend and sobbed again, dropping the formality as she whimpered, "Cedric…"
The people of Enchancia, along with the royal family, grieved for the loss of their former royal sorcerer. He'd shown true courage and heroism while attempting to protect his princess and defend his kingdom, despite the past that had plagued him.
Sofia saw to it that Cedric's body was buried in her secret garden, a place she deemed sacred and detached from the cruel reality of the world. As soon as the first shovel of dirt fell into the grave, she scowled and clenched her fists, which were now covered in Cedric's own gloves—a memento of her fallen friend. "I will find you," she promised lowly, clearly talking to the entity. "And when I do, I will destroy you for good—in honor of Cedric the Sensational…"
While the others were distracted with the funeral, the princess turned and slipped away from the crowd, placing her hand over her amulet and activating it. "I wish to go to Enchancia in the Ever Realm." Her eyes widened as a portal opened before her, producing a near replicated image of her own kingdom. But it looked different somehow… Then again, if it was truly another dimension or timeline or whatever the case was, it was bound to be different. "I can't let this happen again. If anyone dies this time, it will be me." Determined, she rushed through the portal just before it sealed up behind her.
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Like Looking in a Mirror
