*Chapter 5: Be Our Guest*
After a while, Maria comes out from her room, peeking out, making sure no one was around. Luckily there isn't anyone. She walked down the hall, unaware that the curtains were moving. Sonic and Sally came out from making out, but the blue hedgehog candelabra notices Maria walking away.
"She's out of the room?!" He gasped. Sally turned to see the girl heading down the stairs.
"Seems to me she is hungry." She said with a smirk. Sonic hurried down the hall.
XX
In the kitchen, Vanilla places Cream in the cupboard, for the young rabbit cup to sleep in. The red and black robot stove is speaking to Vanilla, complaining about him slaving away all the dinner he made for Shadow and Maria, and it's gone to waste. Vanilla rolled her eyes at him.
"Well, if you ask me, that girl is stubborn!" Knuckles said, throwing the wash clothe in the sink. "After all the master did say please."
"But if he doesn't learn to control his temper, the girl will never break the spell." Vanilla said. Then, Maria walked to see the talking object. Luckily she didn't hear the spell part. Knuckles turned to the girl and gasped.
"Splendid to see you out of your room, young lady." He said. "I am Knuckles." He offered a hand for Maria to take, but Sonic dashed in the kitchen, cutting in, having Maria's hand. Knuckles rolls his eyes. "This is Sonic."
"Nice to meet you, lovely." Sonic greeted, his eyes are half lidded. He kisses Maria's hand. The girl blushed a little.
"Now, if there is anything we can make you feel more comfortable, tell us." Knuckles said, pulling Sonic away.
"Well...I am getting hungry." Maria said.
"You are?" Vanilla asks with a smile. She turned to the robot stove. "Hear that, Gamma? She's hungry! Now, start the fire. Have the silverware ready!"
"Remember what the master said?" Knuckles said, gritting his teeth at Vanilla.
"Oh, don't be so heartless, Knuckles. We can't let the poor child grow hungry." Vanilla said.
"Fine. Give her bread, water, and-"
"Knuckles, I am surprised at you." Sonic said, nudging him. "She is no prisoner! She's our guest!" He turned back to Maria. "Now, miss, follow me to the dining hall, and we will have your meal ready."
"Okay, but try to keep it down." Knuckles said. "If the master finds out, he will be very furious to see her eat-"
"Relax." Sonic said. "But we can't have her without any...music." The door closes on the echidna.
"Music?!"
Sonic is on the dining table as Maria stood at the end of it, watching him. The light is on him as he began to sing to Maria who sat down on a chair.
"Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride,
And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight.
And now we invite you to relax,
Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents -
Your dinner!"
The silverware and plates appeared at the end of the table. Maria smiles at the sight as Sonic continues to sing to her. The napkin is set on Maria's lap.
"Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test,
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie.
And we'll provide the rest.
Soup du jour,
Hot hors d'oeuvres,
Why, we only live to serve.
Try the grey stuff..."
Maria dipped her finger in the gray stuff as the young fox cup hopped on the table along with Cream.
"It's delicious!" They said.
"Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!
They can sing, they can dance.
After all, Miss, this is France.
And a dinner here is never second best.
Go on, unfold your menu,
Take a glance and then you'll...
Be our guest,
Oui, our guest,
Be our guest!"
The dishes with tons of food are on the table. Maria's mouth was watering to see food that looks very well done. She took a bite out of every food that Sonic and the servants sing to her.
"Beef ragout,
Cheese soufflé,
Pie and pudding "en flambe"!"
Knuckles popped out of the pie, and Sonic uses his candlestick to flame the pie, making Knuckles fry. The poor echidna clock is a little burnt and fell back in the pie. Maria almost laughed at him.
"We'll prepare and serve with flair,
A culinary cabaret!
You're alone,
And you're scared,
But the banquet's all prepared.
No one's gloomy or complaining,
While the flatware's entertaining.
We tell jokes!
I do tricks,
With my fellow candlesticks.
And it's all in perfect taste,
That you can bet,
Come on and lift your glass,
You've won your own free pass.
To be our guest.
If you're stressed,
It's fine dining we suggest."
Maria watches the servants performing on the table as she eats her dinner. Knuckles washes himself with a clothe to get the berry juice off of him. He turned to see the show on the table. He's starting to panic. What if Shadow hears this? He will be so furious! Maria continues to watch Sonic dance around with the china plates and more as they sing.
"Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!
Get your worries off your chest,
Let us say for your entrée.
We've an array; may we suggest:
Try the bread! Try the soup!
When the croutons loop de loop,
It's a treat for any dinner.
Don't belive me? Ask the china!
Singing pork! Dancing veal!
What an entertaining meal!
How could anyone be gloomy and depressed?
We'll make you shout "encore!"
And send us out for more,
So, be our guest!"
In the kitchen, Vanilla is hopping around with Cream by her side. She wanted to give Maria warm tea. Gamma continues to cook the food. Vanilla sings happily to herself.
"It's a guest! It's a guest!
Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed!
Wine's been poured and thank the Lord,
I've had the napkins freshly pressed.
With dessert, she'll want tea,
And my dear that's fine with me.
While the cups do their soft-shoein',
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing.
I'll get warm, piping hot.
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! We want the company impressed.
We've got a lot to do!
Is it one lump or two?
For you, our guest!"
Maria picked up the rabbit cup that is filled with warm tea and she took a sip as dessert is now on her plate. It's a strawberry shortcake. It's her top favorite dessert. The vases dance on the table, and one of them came up to Maria, handing her a pink flower. The girl smiled and took it.
"She's our guest!"
"She's our guest!"
"She's our guest!"
The feather dusters are sweeping up the pedals, and Sally is leading them as she and everyone sing together.
"Be our guest! Be our guest!
Our command is your request,
It's been years since we've had anybody here,
And we're obsessed.
With your meal, with your ease,
Yes, indeed, we aim to please,
While the candlelight's still glowing.
Let us help you, we'll keep going..."
By her surprise, the silverware and plates piled up and Sonic stood on top of one in the middle. The giant chandelier lit up, and the forks are dancing. Maria moves around in her seat, dancing along with her new friends.
"Course by course, one by one,
'Til you shout, 'Enough! I'm done!'
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest.
Tonight you'll prop your feet up,
But for now, let's eat up,
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Please, be our guest!"
Sonic took a bow, as did everything else. Maria clapped. Now the servants are cleaning up the table and dining room. Maria came over to the hedgehog candelabra, smiling at him.
"That was wonderful. Thank you for dinner, it was delicious." She said. Knuckles came by the two, clapping at the other servants.
"Thank you, thank you everyone. That was quite a show you did." He said. "Oh, my goodness. Look at the time." He crosses his eyes to see the actual time of the night. "Now...off to bed."
"I couldn't possibly go to bed now." Maria giggled. "I'm wide awake after all the meal I had. I would like to look around the castle."
"Oh, of course." Sonic said. Knuckles muttered to him that they must not go to the West Wing. It is off limits to Maria.
They walked through the halls full of armors that are from the 14th century. There are paintings on the walls, and statues against the walls. Then, Maria spotted the stairs that is leading to something. Before she could take the first step, Knuckles and Sonic stopped her.
"What's up there?" Maria asked, eyeing the wing.
"Oh nothing." Knuckles replied. "You wouldn't be interested. It's all dusty and everything. The West Wing doesn't have much."
"Ah, so that's the West Wing!" Maria said. Sonic turned to Knuckles with a look.
"Nice going." He muttered.
"I wonder what he's hiding up there..." Maria said curiously, looking up the stairs. "There must be a reason, right?"
"Hiding?" Knuckles chuckled. "The master isn't hiding anything."
"Then it wouldn't be forbidden." Maria said, going up the steps, but the two servants stopped her from going any further.
"Ah! Perhaps you would like to see the library?" Sonic suggested. Maria's face lit up with excitement.
"You have a library? Why didn't you say so before?" She said.
"Splendid!" Knuckles said, relieved that Maria had something better. "I see that you are interested in books, I see."
"Are you kidding? I love to read." Maria said, going down the steps with the two. "Take me to the library."
"Of course. Follow us." Sonic said. The two wandered away from the stairs, but Maria didn't follow. She sneaks up the steps. She must know what the West Wing was like...