Beyond
Summary: Sofia and Cedric discuss various topics while waiting on a much-anticipated comet to arrive.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First, comets, stars, etc. :D
A/N: I'll admit, I'm a huge fan of nighttime, especially if I'm able to stargaze. I live in the country away from the drowning of city lights, so I'm able to see the stars pretty well. I used to want to be an astronomer when I was a little girl. I even got a telescope for Christmas one year. :) My favorite planet was always Neptune, because it was the prettiest! Lol ;) Anyway, some of that led to this story. Other factors were Cheetos and sweet tea. No shame. Mwahahaha!
"What time is the comet supposed to come by?" Sofia asked in anticipation as she sat down on the blanket Cedric had spread out. "And what's so important about it?"
Cedric raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, it should be by in an hour or so, and everything is important about this comet. First of all, it's supposed to be quite grand and amazing, and secondly, it's probably the last time you or I will see something of this magnitude in our lifetimes."
She tilted her head as he sat next to her. "Really?" She grinned as she swiped his wand from him, playfully waving it around. "You can't just make your own comet?"
He smirked and caught her hand, taking the wand back. "I could, but that would be cheating." He gestured toward the sky. "There are some things that shouldn't be duplicated. Sometimes, spells don't even come close to comparing with the splendor of nature. We have to keep a careful watch on the sky, lest we miss our chance to see something otherworldly." He turned around and adjusted a hoard of pillows that they had carried outside, with the intention of resting if need be, or to be able to see the comet at a relaxed incline. He leaned back and sighed, staring up at the sky. "It is rather beautiful out here, isn't it?"
Sofia smiled and leaned back on her own pillows, watching the stars and the movement of the wind through the trees. "Yeah…" She sat up a bit and rubbed her arms. "But I wish we'd at least thought to bring some blankets or something. I didn't know it was supposed to get this cold."
The sorcerer chuckled. "You didn't think it'd get cold in February? Oh, Sofia…" He waved his wand slightly, producing a heavy blanket that draped over the young girl. "How is that?"
She smiled excitedly and snuggled deeper into her new cover, lying back against her pillows once more. She grinned toward her friend. "Thanks, Mr. Cedric!"
He rolled his eyes with a smile. "You're welcome, Sofia. Now watch." He pointed up toward the vast abyss before them.
For minutes, the friends sat in silence while waiting. Then they began to grow sleepy, so instead Sofia decided to start up a conversation to keep them occupied and awake while waiting on the elusive comet.
"Why do they say that elephants never forget?" she asked randomly as she glanced over toward her mentor.
Cedric laughed once before looking at her, an amused expression on his face. "What?"
Seeing he found this rather entertaining, she grinned. "Yeah! You know, I've always heard that elephants never forget. But…what is it they never forget? Food? Friends? To make their bed?" She giggled. "Baileywick would love it if I remembered that one…"
"I'm not sure just what they never forget, but I am certain the idea behind their memory capability is ingrained in scientific studies." He shook his head with a soft laugh. "Though why someone felt inclined to research such an idea is beyond me." He felt a chill go through him as he rubbed his arms, trying to create some friction.
Sofia giggled and unwrapped the blanket, snapping it out, before draping it over both herself and Cedric now.
He glanced at her. "What are you doing?"
"You were shivering," she pointed out with a smile.
"No, I wasn't."
"Yes, you were!"
"No, I wasn't! I was merely…shaking with excitement about this blasted comet." He huffed and lowered underneath the blanket a bit more, rather thankful for the warmth it provided.
Sofia grinned. "Comfy?"
"…Yes," he admitted stubbornly before cracking a smile as she laughed. "You don't have to share your blanket, Sofia."
"Yes, I do," she argued lightly, beaming at him. "You gave it to me to help me out, so now I can help you in return."
He hummed in appreciation and nodded as he cast his glance upward again.
"Mr. Cedric," Sofia began a few minutes later, grinning when he looked toward her with a deadpan stare. "Have you ever met a leprechaun?"
Cedric blinked at her. "A what?"
"A leprechaun! You know, the little guys dressed in green who are supposed to give you wishes if you catch one?"
He shook his head in amusement. "I can't say I have, Princess. But by all means, if you happen to come across one, let me know. I have a few wishes I'd like to make myself."
They talked a bit more, randomly and not-so-randomly, before the hour finally ended. Sofia gasped as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She nudged Cedric and pointed upward. "Is that…?"
He smiled. "It's a comet. Enjoy it while you can, Princess. Aside from magic, it's not likely that you'll get to see something like this again. Not this splendid anyway…"
She smiled and scooted next to her friend, delighted when he sat up and allowed her to lean into him for a bit more warmth. "Can you make wishes on comets too, like with shooting stars?"
"I suppose," he answered, absorbed in the beauty of the astronomical phenomenon. "Why not give it a try?"
Heeding his words, the princess closed her eyes and smiled. She made a sincere wish, one that was lost to the wave of the wind and the eternity of the galaxies. But she hoped it was heard. She opened her eyes and sighed. "That was probably a silly wish…"
"No wish is silly, Sofia," Cedric told her as he glanced back at her. "Especially if it means something to you."
She giggled at his rare response. "I hope so, Mr. Cedric." She yawned lightly, raising her hand to her mouth as she shook her head slowly.
"I think you've had enough fun for the day, hmm?" He used his wand to store away the items they'd brought before he fully wrapped the blanket around her again. "Let's get you back inside before it becomes too cold."
"But what about the comet?" she asked worriedly, her eyes peering into his.
Cedric smiled mischievously. "What comet?" He looked up, Sofia following his gaze.
She blinked. "Where did it go?" She sighed. "That was fast…"
"Which I why I told you we had to do this sensibly. You can miss something amazing in the blink of an eye if you aren't careful."
Sofia smiled as she sensed a bit of a lesson in his words before taking his hand as he led her back to the castle.
Maybe Cedric was right. Maybe she had to look a bit beyond the norm to see the extraordinary… Maybe she just did.
The end