Beauty and the .EXE

Chapter Eight: The West Wing

After dinner, Cream was leading Maddie back to the stairs to her room. But Maddie had to ask her something.

"I don't understand why you're all being so kind to me," Maddie spoke up, "Surely, you're as trapped here as I am. Don't you ever want to escape?"

"Master Sonic is not as terrible as he appears," Cream explained, "Somewhere deep in his soul, there's a Prince... of a fellow who just waiting to be set free."

This was Maddie's first time hearing the .EXE's name. But she couldn't think about that now. Because there was something else in the castle which had grasped her curiosity.

"Tails mentioned something about the west wing," Maddie mentioned, looking up the stairs.

"Never you mind about that," Cream quickly dismissed, "Off to bed with you, poppet."

"Good night," Maddie made her way up the stairs.

"Nighty-night," Cream made her way off to the kitchen.

Maddie continued up the stairs, seemingly going back to her room. But, once Cream left, Maddie headed straight towards the West Wing. Maddie stuck to the shadows as she climbed up the crumbling staircase towards the West Wing. She soon comes to a massive wooden door, left slightly ajar. Opening the door, Maddie walked in to see furniture lying in rubble, and curtains shredded, evidence of the .EXE's temper. Wary, Maddie investigates when her eyes stop at a Royal Portrait. On the portrait were a King, a Queen, and a young Prince. The Prince's face had been slashed with the only surviving part being his green eyes.

And the King's face had had the same fate, albeit just the left side destroyed. The only surviving member of the portrait was the Queen. Moving on, Maddie moved past a large four-poster bed, its faded coverlet gray with dust, like no one has slept in it for years. As Maddie continued to explore the West Wing, she found herself close to the balcony, where the rose was being kept under a glass case. Mesmerized, Maddie approached the rose. She could see that the rose appeared to be dying, its petals fallen old and rotting below it. Reaching out to touch the glass, a shadow cuts across Maddie's face.

Rushing over, Sonic ran over to Maddie and the rose, thinking that she might've touched it, he desperately asked what Maddie had done to it. Maddie explained that she hadn't done anything but Sonic wasn't done with her. Blaming her for almost damning everyone in the castle, he yelled at her to leave. Maddie complied, running out of the West Wing. Back downstairs, Tails and Shadow were playing chess on an upper landing, with the footstool dog, Vector resting between them. Tails had gotten a checkmate again to which Shadow claimed that Tails cheated again. But their attention was taken away from their game when they saw Maddie running down the stairs.

Tails asked where she was going to which she replied that she was leaving. Shadow ordered her to stop, blowing a whistle to alert Vector to chase after her and gain the attention of everyone else. Vector jumped up and starts after Maddie. Maddie barreled down the main staircase, Vector in close pursuit. Vector stopped in front of Maddie, stopping her from going down the stairs. But Vector thought it was playtime, which earned him a scolding from Shadow and Cream. Vector then ran out of a little door, revealing a way out after all the doors and windows had been barred shut.

Maddie ran towards the now open door, able to fit through the door. Tails called out to Maddie, saying that it was too dangerous to go outside. But Maddie was already long gone. Maddie climbed onto Philippe's back and started to ride off into the forest. The two race through the woods, Maddie looking back to see if Sonic followed her. But all she sees is wolves chasing her and Philippe. She and Philippe continue to race through the forest, hoping to escape the hungry wolves. But a few appeared in front of them, stopping Maddie and Philippe from going any further. But, Philippe turns a different way, hoping to escape the wolves. But the wolves only follow, not ready to let their prey escape again.

But Philippe slows down as he reaches a frozen lake, unable to steadily keep on running on the slippery ice. Philippe reared twice, allowing one of the wolves to jump on his back and get to Maddie. But she jumps off and grabs a nearby branch, using it to fight off the wolves. Maddie swung her branch as the wolves lunge at her, their bared teeth like razors. She beat them away. As she turns to confront another, it bites the branch clean out of her hands. Behind her, a wolf who was obviously the alpha stares at her, preparing to pounce and claim his meal. But, just as it does, something else bats it out of the way. It was Sonic, armed with only his duplicates. Another wolf charged at him, knocking him back and killing the duplicates.

Sonic grabbed the wolf by the neck, aiming to not get bitten by the beast. One bit at his leg but Sonic took his baseball bat that he also had on him to hit it on the neck and swing it away from him. He also threw the one he had grabbed by the neck. Now stood up, Sonic grabbed his duplicates as more wolves ran to attack him. It was the alpha. The alpha wolf jumped onto Sonic's back and went for his neck. Sonic stood up, taking the alpha by its mouth and throwing it across the frozen lake. Sonic stood upright, trying to look big and scare the alpha away. Sonic yelled out, scaring the alpha wolf who retreated.

The other wolves followed. As the wolves fled, Sonic turned back to Maddie to ensure she was alright. Maddie was unharmed, staying near Philippe, still scared by Sonic. Tired and in pain, Sonic dropped his duplicates and collapsed to the ground. Taking the opportunity, Maddie was ready to mount Philippe and ride off. But she hesitated. Sonic had just saved her life. Despite being angry at her just a few minutes ago, he actually came to save her. Maybe Cream was right. Maybe he wasn't as terrible as he appeared. Giving him a chance, Maddie took off her cloak and put it over Sonic. Feeling the cloak on him, Sonic looked up at Maddie surprised.

"You have to help me..." Maddie whispered to him, "You have to stand..."

Getting the strength to do so, Sonic stood up and, with help from Maddie, got on Philippe's back. Maddie guided the two back to the castle. Back where it was safe.