Sofia and the Magic Factory
Summary: Based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the numerous adaptations. When Sofia isn't feeling well, Cedric reads her a story, replacing the story's characters with people they know. Five young contestants win the opportunity to tour a reclusive sorcerer's magic factory. However, only one can win the elusive prize at the end.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
A/N: Hi, everyone! Sorry the update has taken a while. It's been quite busy lately, so I didn't get time to post. But I'm here now, so I hope you're ready for what I call the "action" chapter. If you're familiar with the original story, this is where we get to the whole "and then there was one" type of thing. Haha. Granted, with the nature of the story, the elimination process will be a bit different, so hang in there. :) Thanks for all the reviews and general interest in the story! I'm so happy with the response. This is definitely going to be a much longer chapter. And here we go!
A/N 2: SofiaxHugo Fan certainly kept me on my toes with all the reviews! Lol, I'm back! Again, sorry the update took so long, but I'm truly honored that you enjoyed this story so much. :D And thanks to ALL the reviewers! I don't know what I'd do without you all. ;)
*Story*
Chapter 4: One by One
Upon entering the magical portal, the five children were suddenly at a loss for words. The room into which they'd entered was larger than they would have imagined. It was every shade and hue that existed in the natural world, and then some from the magic realm they never could have imagined. Scientific instruments such as beakers, pipettes, and vials lined every corner of the room on shelves, but there were also several randomly floating in midair. There seemed to be stations set up throughout the room, each with a connecting path that led to many other areas. Two large silver doors in the back of the room simply labeled in purple shades "1" and "2" loomed before them. The ceiling wasn't even a traditional ceiling; it was what appeared to be a swirling mass of rainbow-shaded galaxies, and even a few "shooting stars" fell from the ceiling and landed in designated parts of the room.
On the left side of the room was a large portrait of Merlin, and on the right side was some framed oath that appeared to be called "The Sorcerer's Secret." A case of varying sizes and styles of wands resided in the back between the two doors. And directly in the center of everything was a large podium with an opened spell book on top.
"Wow," Sofia breathed in awe. "This is amazing…"
"None of those stars will fall on us, right?" Hildegard asked suspiciously as she pulled a fan from her dress pocket and opened it, as if shielding herself from above.
Cedric chuckled at her question and shook his head. "No, Princess. This room was designed as imagery and an interactive environment. Truly, actual stars this close would be quite dangerous for us all. Think of them as simply moving images."
"Can we try some of this stuff out?" Lucinda asked excitedly with her eyes roving ever everything in the room. As a magic enthusiast herself, she was highly intrigued by everything the sorcerer had to offer.
"Certainly, but you must read every station's directions before you attempt anything. It is not only for my benefit, but for yours as well—and your safety. Magic is nothing to take lightly, children. While highly entertaining and useful, it may also be very dangerous." He ushered them onward with his hand. "Go on then."
Four of the children grabbed their parents' hands and dragged them off to different stations, including those that could create unpoppable bubbles or miniature animals of any nature. Sofia, on the other hand, was more curious about something else she'd seen earlier.
She tugged on Baileywick's sleeve, getting his attention. "Can we go look at the wall over there?" she asked, gesturing to the right.
The older man blinked. "Sure, Sofia… Lead the way."
As the two walked on, Cedric stood back and observed with his arms folded over his chest. He smiled lightly as he saw the purple-clad princess's choice of actions as opposed to her peers. "Interesting."
Sofia stood in front of the large creed on the wall and read it with curiosity. "The Sorcerer's Secret: Never give up; keep trying until you get it right." She nodded with a growing smile. "I think that's good advice for anything, don't you, Baileywick?"
The steward nodded. "I am inclined to agree. That's the one thing I always admired about Cedric the Sensational. He meant what he said, and he practiced as he spoke it. When one spell or potion would fail, he'd just try again. It took a long time to get him where he is today."
"Which is why I admire him so much," the girl admitted softly.
Baileywick smiled. "Me too."
"Zandar, what are you doing?!"
Cedric's head immediately snapped in the other direction as he saw Zandar had reached into a large pipe on one of the stations. His eyes widened. "Young man, what on earth are you doing? You're liable to get stuck!" He rushed over and wielded his wand as Zandar yelled, the force from the pipe pulling him from his position on the ground and into the very station itself—or so it seemed.
"What happened?" Lucinda whispered to Hildegard, who rolled her eyes and fanned herself with her fan.
"The idiot boy was curious 'what this thing does' and reached up into it. I believe the instructions read, 'Under no circumstances should you approach the pipe.' Well, bravo, boy. You sure showed that pipe!" She snickered, earning a glare from Zandar's mother.
"This is no laughing matter!" the queen lamented, shaking Cedric's arm. "Please, sir! Free my boy!"
Cedric paused and gave the woman a sharp stare, removing her hands from his arm. "Queen Farnaz, was it? I believe I said quite clearly that you all must read the directions carefully and follow what they say. Obviously your son has an issue with that."
"Please, just get him free!"
The sorcerer sighed. "Oh, I'll get him free—no need to worry about that." He lifted his wand and stated, "Free from the bond this boy you've ensnared; release him to reality from this magic I've shared." With a flick of the wand, Zandar was freed from the pipe and was left floating in midair, a bubble circling him. "Your time is up, I'm afraid."
Zandar gasped, his hands pressing against the bubble. "What? I just got here!"
"Someone who cannot follow simple directions is no longer welcomed in my factory. Wormwood!"
From a portal that appeared in the center of the room appeared a raven, his green eyes sharp and focused. He cawed once as his talons gripped the top of the bubble, and he began to drag the boy back through the portal.
"Strong bird," Hugo remarked with an entertained look.
"Mom! Help!" Zandar called as he disappeared, along with the raven.
Queen Farnaz stamped her foot and glared daggers at the sorcerer. "Tell me where my son is right now! This is no game!"
"Indeed, madam, it is not," Cedric agreed with a slight twinkle in his eye. "You'll find your son where you began: outside of my factory. Gnarlie will show you the way."
"Gnarlie?" Sofia asked quietly to Baileywick. "What's a Gnarlie?"
"I have no idea…"
A young green troll walked up to the queen and beckoned her along, never saying a word to her.
"Mm…are you sure I can trust a troll?"
Cedric gave her a humored look. "Do you really believe you have any choice?"
She gasped at his derision. "You'll be hearing from us on your…horrid demeanor in the midst of royalty." Sighing in annoyance, she followed Gnarlie, who was soon joined by many other trolls of the same shade and similar stature.
"Wow, that was fascinating," Hildegard drawled in boredom before snapping her fan shut and pocketing it again. She looked toward Cedric. "Hang around with many trolls, do you?"
Cedric gave the princess a patient yet strained smile. "Suffice it to say that I'd prefer their company over some genuinely insufferable people, Princess Hildegard. However, I'm also inclined to say that despite their nature, they're not the only trolls in this factory right now…" With that said, he began walking forward.
"What is that supposed to mean?" King Henrik asked King Garrick, who simply shrugged.
As they walked, Sofia made her way closer to Cedric and smiled inquisitively up at him. "So, is Gnarlie one of your helpers, Mr. Cedric?"
He nodded and gave her a gentle look. "Yes, Princess Sofia. Well, he and the other trolls help me with everything in the factory. And as you saw earlier, my raven Wormwood is the leader when I need him to be. I cannot run a magical factory alone, so I enlisted their help."
"Why not use people?" Hugo asked in genuine interest.
"Did you not see the boy stuck in the pipe earlier?" the sorcerer remarked sarcastically. "At least when I tell my aids to do something, they do it and do it well. They don't bungle guidelines and rules I've set forth for safety reasons."
"Maybe you just need the right people," Sofia told him happily. "There must be someone you trust, right?"
"Alas, my dear, I'm afraid I trust far too few people these days."
"That's a shame," Marla stated with a smirk. "At least if you had a witch or wizard helping you, things would get done faster."
"I'm quite happy with my current situation. Now, let's progress onward. We still have much to see."
The group traversed into a next room, filled to the brim with floating parchments with magic spells written on them. Each piece of parchment glowed mysteriously green, as if enchanted. Come to think of it, they probably were.
"Wow," Lucinda gushed as she spun around amid the spells. "Now this is more up my ally! Mr. Cedric, what kinds of spells are these?"
"Forbidden," he responded sharply with a pointed stare at the young witch. "These are the ones that have proven to be either duds or dangers, so they remain locked away in this room."
"If they're so dangerous, why haven't you simply burned them or something?" Hildegard wondered.
"It's an excellent question, and here's the simple answer: these parchments are magic-proof. Once they're created, they cannot be destroyed. So, in order to retain some semblance of harmony, I keep them locked away in here. Besides, this isn't the room you're meant to see. The next room is actually my point of interest for you all. Follow me." He led the group onward, brushing the useless spells aside as he walked.
Baileywick sneezed once and used his handkerchief to dab at his nose.
"Are you okay, Baileywick?" Sofia asked kindly.
He smiled and replaced his handkerchief. "I'm all right. I think these parchments must have stirred up my allergies…"
"I can't believe he has so many cool spells that he just locked up," Lucinda told her mother with a pout. She grabbed one of the spells and looked it over. "This one is for turning zebras into lizards. Weird. Oh! And here's one to turn any item into gold!"
"Um, darling, that one may actually come in handy," Marla whispered excitedly with a grin as she pulled out her wand. "What's the spell?"
"I wouldn't if I were you," Hugo told them with his arms folded.
"He's right," King Garrick affirmed. "If I recall correctly, the sorcerer said these spells were probably dangerous."
Lucinda sneered at the silver-haired man. "What's so dangerous about gold anyway? You're royalty, right? Gold isn't dangerous. It's just…gold!" With that said, she snatched the parchment away from the group and pushed through the others to get to the side, away from them all. "Shades of yellow were never enough—"
"Oh, no," Cedric said through gritted teeth as he turned.
"The best of the best is the golden stuff! Come to my hands, O Midas Touch; for all that I graze will now cost thrice as much!"
Lightning struck randomly from the ceiling, slicing through the room yet of course never harming the enchanted papers. The other children and adults watched in surprise as a strike of green lightning hit Lucinda's hands, the plasma changing to a golden color.
"Oh, this is awesome!" Lucinda cheered as she felt the charge within her hands. She grinned as the lightning died away, leaving an even more scattered mess of spells and utterly confused guests as well.
"What just happened?" Hildegard asked, surprised by the events.
"I'll show you," Lucinda acknowledged as she held her hand out. "Give me your fan." Without waiting for the other princess to respond, she grabbed the item from the girl's pocket and watched in wonder as it changed from its usual teal color to solid gold. "Wicked!"
The princess of Friezenburg squealed. "Ah! That's wonderful!"
"It's not wonderful," Cedric chided her as he marched over to them, ripping the fan from her hands and throwing it into the corner. "Have you any idea what you have done, young lady?" he asked Lucinda now.
"Uh, yeah. I changed her ordinary fan to an extraordinary one! Duh. I now have the coolest power of all!"
"And have you never heard the story of Midas? Don't you know how dangerous this power is?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Marla countered, grabbing her daughter's hand and leading her on. "It's just a little…golden t-ouch…" She blinked as she stopped moving, her body seeming frozen. "Wh-What's happening to me?!"
"It looks like it's not so much a magic power as it is a curse," Sofia told them both, eyes drawing to her now. "You may think having the ability to change things to gold is neat, but it's not just things that can be affected…people can too."
Lucinda gasped as she released her mother's hand, but the witch continued to turn to solid gold. "What am I supposed to do now, Mr. Cedric?!"
"Oh, sure, now you want my help…" He sighed exasperatedly. "Wormy!" As the raven appeared, Cedric used his own wand to wrap the two witches in yet another bubble. "You'll need the trolls to help you with these two. Take them to the reversal room and remove the curse from this young witch. And then see them out."
Wormwood nodded as he used his talons to pull the next two along, aided by a few trolls who magically appeared and assisted him.
Once they were out of sight, Cedric glowered at the others who remained. "And that, dear children, is why we don't go reading other peoples' spells." He huffed and threw his hands into the air before whirling around and stalking toward the exit. "Onward we go then."
Sofia and Baileywick hung back at the end of the line while the other four walked between them and Cedric. They'd been amazed at how disrespectful the others had seemed so far, and even more shocked at how frustrated Cedric could become. Then again, it must be annoying when you tell someone not to do something (for the general safety, of course), and yet they do it anyway. Sofia was beginning to understand how her parents felt.
"I can't believe two kids are already gone," Sofia whispered to her guardian. "Why can't they just follow simple directions?"
"Because people like to test their limits, Sofia," he responded lightly. "It's the inner nature most of us seem to have. The more you tell others not to do something, even with their welfare in mind, the more likely they are to do it."
"Hmm."
So onward they walked. It took a few rooms more than previously viewed, but they finally made it to the next room: the Dressed to Impress Room.
"Wow," Sofia breathed as they entered. There were magically charged gowns, suits, and everything in between swirling around the room at the moment, each one changing colors and styles every few seconds. "This is incredible!"
Hildegard swooned with appreciation. "I'll say… Just look at all those lovely gowns!"
"Mm, yes," Cedric agreed as he stood beside them and watched his creations moving around. "I'm designing the very best dressing spells and systems to help anyone prepare for either the day in general or for a special event. Come have a look." He directed them to one of the systems he'd built just for this occasion. "With just a bit of my magic, I've managed to create the first—and to my knowledge, the only—dressing system in the world. Then again, watch some little prodigy come up behind me and do the very same thing." (A/N: wink-wink ;))
Sofia giggled. "I think this is a great idea, Mr. Cedric. So many people could benefit from this."
"Indeed. However, it's not quite perfected yet. There are still a few minor adjustments needed in order to make it work properly. Yesterday, when I had Gnarlie try it out, he ended up wearing a floor-length wedding gown."
Baileywick chuckled. "I'm sure he made it work," he joked, making Cedric roll his eyes.
"Right. Well, we'd best move on then."
"No!" Hildegard pleaded as she gestured around the room. "Are you kidding me? You finally let us see a useful room for a change, and now we're just going to leave? Seriously?"
King Henrik gave his daughter a disapproving look. "Hildegard, Mr. Cedric has been more than gracious with his tour. I think if you've witnessed what's happened so far, you'll understand why he makes the decisions he does. If he's said we're not to touch anything or linger in any room, it's probably for the best."
"Father…this is every princess's dream come true! I can't just leave it alone…" She smiled wickedly as she spotted a switch labeled "Design Me." She reached out and grabbed it, yanking it downward. "Ha!"
Cedric's eyes widened as his invention came to life and released a bout of magic, swirling around the dark-haired princess and colliding with her current dress. "Oh, great."
Hildegard watched in fascination as her dress changed from its blue hue to a deep purple one, complete with turquoise trimmings. She frowned. "Ugh, purple? What is it with this place and purple? I wanted aquamarine!"
"Well, we can't all get what we want, can we?" Hugo teased with a smirk.
"Hush! Father! Make him change my dress back!"
"Hildegard, really, could you be a little more-?" King Henrik was cut off by his daughter's frustrated cry.
"FINE! I'll do it myself!" She yanked the switch up and down a few times, clearly confusing the magical device and causing it to whirl uncontrollably.
"It's going to explode!" Baileywick announced as he grabbed Sofia and ran for cover, King Garrick doing the same with Hugo but in a different corner.
Cedric pushed both King Henrik and Hildegard out of the way just in time as the device did in fact explode, heaps of poorly-designed outfits littering the floor. All of his previous and perfected outfits were now covering the floor as well, some having fallen on top of the people in the room.
Hildegard stood and whined when she noticed her dress had not changed back. "I hate this place," she mumbled with a groan. "I want to go home!"
"I want you to go home as well," Cedric said evenly as he turned toward the girl. "Someone who cannot follow directions and is blinded by material means is no longer needed on this tour. King Henrik, I appreciate your attempts, but your daughter needs much more time to develop into a proper young lady who actually listens to adults."
"I apologize on her behalf," the king stated. "Hildegard, let's go."
"No." She frowned before gasping as a bubble appeared around her. She whined when she realized Wormwood had appeared to fetch her just like the others. "This is not fair!"
As Henrik followed the raven carrying his daughter, Cedric looked around the room in obvious despair. He was growing weary of having his creations tested, mocked, and abused, and it was starting to show on his face.
Sofia stood and pulled Baileywick to his feet before leading him over to the group again. She observed the mess before gently tugging on Cedric's sleeve, garnering his attention. She offered him a simple smile. "I think I know how to fix this," she said sweetly.
"I'm not sure how, Princess," he sighed. "This is quite a number done on my newest creation… I worked rather hard on it, you know, and to have it destroyed in a matter of minutes…?"
"I learned this in school." She took off her backpack and pulled out her own wand before aiming it at the general state of the mess. "Tersus Malum." Once the room was cleaned and the dresses were now generally organized, she then stated, "Levitate a terra." Once again, the outfits were floating in midair.
"Wow, cool!" Hugo said, impressed. He then cleared his throat and shrugged. "I mean, if you're into that kind of thing."
Sofia giggled before Cedric placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mr. Cedric?"
"Thank you, my dear," he said gratefully. "I'm afraid my frustration has blinded me to simple fixes today."
"It's all right. We all get frustrated. I just wish everyone would listen to what you're trying to say. It's not like you're saying these things to make us upset or anything…"
The sorcerer smiled and nodded before turning and leading them away again. At least someone understood…but it was down to the two of them. Was the princess really as good as she seemed? He'd been fooled before by those who seemed to be good and noble. Realizing this, he set his face into a determined stare once again. They'd just have to prove who was best.
"So you know magic too, huh?" Hugo asked as he and Sofia trailed behind Baileywick and King Garrick.
"Yeah, I took an interest in it a few years ago. When Mr. Cedric started sending out his magical items, I started learning myself. And then we had sorcery classes, so that was pretty neat. Don't you know any magic?"
"Me? No. I'm more of a Flying Derby guy myself." He smiled proudly.
"Hmm. I think that's neat. Well, I guess I should say good luck, Hugo."
He lifted an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean, good luck? It's kind of obvious who's going to win this competition." He gave her a smile.
Sofia blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah! I'm going to win!" He missed the confused look on the princess's face. "I'm no loser. I've been trained to give it my all in any competition. And even though I don't know much about magic, I know all about succeeding. So yeah, good luck, princess." He grinned and hurried to catch up with his father.
The princess frowned. She didn't like how selfish all these other kids seemed. And having no interest in magic whatsoever yet still entering? Again, she was baffled by that. It just made things more complicated than they needed to be. Sighing she trudged up toward Baileywick, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.
The steward looked down at his charge and smiled gently, choosing instead to wrap an arm around her shoulders for comfort (something she seemed to need right now).
Cedric inhaled once they'd reached the next door and exhaled soon after. He then turned to face the four remaining faces. "Now I need you all to listen to me, all right? This next room is possibly the most dangerous room. There are many different potions that are being tested. Several chemical compounds are stirring. The trolls are testing out new wands. Yet everything is equally balanced and neutrally charged. If anything—and I mean anything—goes wrong in here, we're putting ourselves in great danger. So please…don't do anything stupid, all right?"
"Yes, Mr. Cedric," Sofia answered immediately as Baileywick and King Garrick nodded.
Hugo rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Fine."
Satisfied, the sorcerer pushed open the door and allowed the others inside.
True to his word, everything he indicated earlier was indeed going on. Wormwood was seated on a perch (evidently his work from earlier was completed), overseeing the trolls on Cedric's behalf. He cawed a few times as the remaining competitors entered.
"Wormy," Cedric warned playfully. "Behave yourself around our guests."
"Does this place have a name too, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked.
"Indeed it does. This is actually just…my workshop."
The girl's eyes widened. Workshop? She was in his workshop? Now things were far more interesting. She'd always dreamed of seeing a real sorcerer's workshop, and now she finally had the chance.
Hugo approached one of the spell books and sifted through its pages. "And just what is done in here that isn't done in some of those other rooms?"
"Well, more focused works, I suppose. Here I'm able to sort out more complex spells and potions and prepare them accordingly. I also manage to get a bit of peace and quiet in here, as opposed to the sometimes loud environments the other rooms created. Granted, children, I only managed to show you a fraction of the factory today… Had we not had so many spoiled brats ruining the show, I might have managed to show them all to you, but…"
Baileywick nodded. "We understand. It would be a risk to show off more rooms, only to chance something else being destroyed."
King Garrick gave the steward a stern look. "Are you calling my son destructive?"
The older man blinked. "Um, no, sir… That's not what I said at all."
Hugo smirked and folded his arms. "Sure sounded like it. Look, if I wanted to be destructive, I'd do far worse than Zandar and the girls did. But I'm not about that. I'm about winning." He picked up a few bottles of potions and slowly swirled them, the liquid within sloshing against the glass. "So what if magic holds little appeal for me?"
Cedric frowned. "Prince Hugo, I wouldn't if I were you."
"You're not me, Mr. Cedric." He turned and shrugged, dangling one of the potions from his fingers. "No one can ever be me."
"Hugo, please, be careful," Sofia pleaded, seeing how loosely the boy was holding the bottle now.
"Oh, Sofia, you're such a scaredy cat—" As soon as the words had left his mouth, the potion fell from his fingers and cracked on the floor, splattering the prince with its content.
The adults and Sofia held their breaths for a minute, watching. The boy didn't seem to be in any pain or distress. In fact, it looked as if nothing had happened.
Hugo laughed and grinned triumphantly. "See? Worried over nothing!"
No sooner had he said that, the prince shrank to about five percent of his actual height. King Garrick knelt down to the much shorter version of his son and picked him up. "Hugo! What have you done to yourself?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Hugo whined, his voice now high pitched from his size. "This is stupid! Magic is stupid! Potions, spells, little green trolls, spooky ravens, and a sorcerer who just leaves stuff lying around for other people to mess with! This is all so stupid!"
"Excuse me, but did I or did I not tell you not to touch anything?" Cedric returned with a glare at the little boy—literally little, that is.
"Fix me now! I don't want to be this little!"
"Perhaps it will give you a new perspective," the sorcerer suggested with a smirk of his own.
"Mr. Cedric," Sofia began with a wary smile.
"Oh, fine. Reverso." He pointed his wand at the boy and watched as he turned back to normal, now residing in his father's arms. "I believe Gnarlie will lead you to the exit now. Since my magic is so stupid, as you say, I see no reason to bore you with it any longer."
King Garrick sighed and put the boy to the ground, pushing him forward gently as Gnarlie led them away. "March, Hugo."
"But Dad, I—"
"March!"
Hugo whined once before being led away.
Cedric sighed and used his wand to clean up the spill, magically making it vanish. "Can't believe how hard-headed some people can be… Perhaps I should have just left him a little brat for a while, eh, Wormy?" He smirked when the raven snickered at the joke.
Baileywick cleared his throat. "Um, excuse me, Cedric, but…is that the end of the tour? I just realized how late it's getting," he added as he glanced at his pocket watch.
"Oh, right…" Cedric turned to the young girl before him and smiled kneeling down to her level. "Princess Sofia…you've been something of a bright light in the midst of all these dim moments today. I have something to tell you."
Sofia giggled and joked playfully, "Mr. Cedric, if you're proposing, I don't think my parents will be too happy… At least let me graduate from Royal Prep first."
The sorcerer laughed at the girl's jest. "You're quite clever, my dear. No, I'm afraid what I'm offering is simply my entire Magic Factory."
"Oh, Mr. Cedric, I—wait, what?" Her eyes widened in surprise.
To be continued…
A/N: Ooh, a cliff hanger! Ha, well, sort of. :D I hope people who watch Elena of Avalor caught my "prodigy" reference up there. Lol. With that said, only two chapters remain! Look for an update soon enough (perhaps a week or so). Good night!