AN: This is based on the movie cartoon Anastasia with Gundam Wing characters. And is not historical accurate.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Anastasia
So far:
Relena is Anastasia
Heero is Dmitri
Miliardo is Tatiana
Trezie is Rasputin
Une is Bartok (Rasputin's Bat)
Vladimir isDuo
Meetoo is Quatre (Anastasia's puppy)
A glorious bright (and cold) dawn creeps over the horizon. Lena stands at edge of the hill, looking down on the city of Reedville. The old gray orphanage looms behind her. Lena "borrows" an old, beat-up bicycle from the orphanage and rides down the hill.
Lena passes though the countryside toward the city. A peasant family waves to her as she goes by. A Gypsy Troupe performs tricks by the side of the road. A very fancy car zooms by.
People stare at her as she rides into the edge of the city. She is captivated by all the activity: cars, busses, stores, long lines of people, etc.
Lena does not see a cute little puppy (Quatre) with a bone in his mouth, being chased along the sidewalk by a pack of much larger, vicious dogs until he bolts across Lena's path forcing her to skid to a stop. She watched him as he scoots into an alley, followed by the angry pack. On reflex, Lena drops the bike and runs into the alley after him.
Quatre is trapped. The pack surrounds him; ready to pounce when Lena leaps into the middle of the circle. The pack is startled, but begins to advance on both Lena and Quatre.
Lena doesn't know what to do. She crouches and then . . . growls back at them, making her eyes look as ferocious as possible. The packs exchange a confused look; there's a girl growling at them. Quatre stands, suddenly brave, behind her and growls along with her.
Suddenly, Lena pounced toward the pack, growling louder. The pack has definitely had enough - some start to back out quizzically, others turn and run like hell.
Lena turns to Quatre, who looks up at her gratefully, wagging his tail. Lena picks up the bone and puts it back in his mouth. Lena "I think you should be more careful about who you invite to dinner!" Quatre nods and lets out a little "bark" that sounds as if he were saying "retu". Lena pats him and heads back to her bike.
Lena rides down the street. She doesn't see Quatre, running like a little maniac behind her. Lena approaches a building with a sign over the door"The People's Bureau of Bureaucracy".
She leaps off her bike and heads up the stairs. Quatre, breathing heavily from his run, follows and almost reaches her when the heavy door slams in his face. He slumps against it, panting, his little paw-to chest.
Lena enters and stops when she sees . . . lines and lines of people, which seem to go on forever. She walks down the side of one line, trying to figure out which one to stand in.
Lena "Could someone tell me . . ." A peasant "End of the line!" Lena "Which line?" Another peasant "Any line." And another peasant "All lines are good lines." All peasants in unison "In our beloved Sanc Union!" They turn toward an armed Sanc Guard and smile sweetly, hoping he heard their flattery. He did. Guard "Very good . . ." He jots something down in his notebook.
Lena turns to the person behind her. "Is this the right line to get papers to travel?" The person "Travel? Travel to where?" "To Paris. I have to get to
Paris" "Paris? What do they have in Paris that they don't have here?" Another woman joins in "Shorter lines?"
Two armed guards immediately cart off the woman for her blasphemy against the state. The other woman quietly "Nobody leaves Sanc."
Lena reaches the window and speaks to the clerk. Lena "Is this where I get traveling papers?" Clerk "It would be if we let you travel which we don't so it isn't." Loudly, for all to hear he goes on "Sanc is the people's paradise!" And to further make his point, he slams shut his window, which immediately opens a crack as he whispers to Lena. "See Heero. He can help." He shuts the window, only to open it again immediately. To say "But you didn't hear it from me."
He shuts the window. Lena who doesn't get it "I didn't" He opens it again. Clerk "No." The clerk sticks out a sign"Samovar Break - back in ten minutes" and slams the window shut.
Lena steps out of the building, still not seeing Quatre and looks around at the hoards of people waiting in lines for everything: bread, gas, clothes, etc. Lena to herself "Heero? There must be a million Heero's . . ."
She wades into the crowded street. Quatre sees her and runs after her getting tangled in the legs of waiting Sancs. Lena stops suddenly. She sniffs the air. Her eyes widen as she recognizes the stench that is floating through the air. She spins around and sees Quinze across the street.
Quinze is on a mission to find Lena. He turns in her direction just as a bus passes. Lena is gone. She clinging to the side of the bus as it drives down the street. Quatre looks, his face dropping- he knows he'll never catch up to her now. Then he sees the bus hit a huge pothole and Lena is knocked off into the mud. Happily, Quatre trots off in her direction.
Lena approaches two people who are waiting in line in front of a cafe. They are talking "Which line is this?" "The line to get into the line." She butts in "Excuse me, do you know Heero . . ." One "I know nothing!" The other "Nothing!" Then whispering simultaneously "Try the tavern/ library."
They begin to bicker back and forth in forced whispers as to whether Heero is at the tavern or the library. Exasperated, Lena walks away. They call after her "But we didn't tell you!" Lena rolls her eyes in frustration. She doesn't see Quatre at her feet.
Lena to herself "I wish they'd all stop telling me they didn't tell me!" Quatre gives a "retu" of agreement. Lena looks down and sees him. "What are you doing . . .?"
Just then, she catches another whiff of something foul in the air. Lena duck quickly into a doorway and loses Quatre. Lena peeks out. A garbage wagon full of dead fish and rotten food passes Lena. She sighs with relief, it wasn't Quinze - it just smelled like him.
Lena steps out of the doorway and approaches a street artist sketching a large woman as her tiny husband looks over his shoulder. Husband to Artist "Could you get rid of her moustache?" Lena "Excuse me - I'm looking for a man named Heero . . ." The Artist quickly scribbles and address on his pad and hands it to her without turning around. Artist "But I didn't write it."
Lena looks down at the note "Sanc Art Theatre - 99 Pushkin Street" Meanwhile in the Sanc Art Theatre - 99 Pushkin Street. Where there is a cacophony of female voices.The waiting room is filled with young woman, of various shapes and sizes, reading aloud from a piece of paper. They're all saying many variations of "Oh, Cousin! It's me, Relena. I've waited so long to see you".
An actress stands in front of a man in a tux who's back is to the "audience". Actress over the top "Oh, Cousin! It's me, Relena! I've waited so long to see you!" The Actress then walks over to the man, with a gait like she in a western movie. The man" turns around its Duo. Duo out to audience "Heero! I cannot work with her! And you sweetie may I remind you that you are supposed to be Princess - not a lazy lumbering lout!"
On a seat is Heero. Now 20 and darkly handsome. His hair still falling in his eyes as he flips it off his forehead. "Duo, calm down!" Duo walks off the stage and toward Heero. "This, my friend, as an exercise in futility! We shall never find a girl to play the Princess Relena out of this motley crew of commoners!" Duo dramatically throws one end of his jacket over his shoulder.
Heero "For a ten million rubles reward we can look a little longer. This is the big one . . . and all I need is the right girl. Anyone from a peasant to a princess will do, o.k. As long as she can fool Miliardo."
They get back to work. One has a loud, heavy voice "Oh, Cousin! It's me, Relena. I've waited so long to see you." Heero "Next!" Another is stupid
"Oh . . . Cousin it's me. Relena, I have waited so long, too. See you!" Heero "Next!" The next looks like a hooker." Oh . . . Cousin . . . It's me . . ." Heero "Next" the next is a very round forty something woman "Oh, Cousin . . ." Heero "Next" The next is actually a man. "Oh . . ." Heero in a state of disbelief just stares then "Next now and please a woman."
Outside Lena rides up to front of the theatre and drops her bike. She rushes the steps.
The theatre is now empty as Heero and Duo are gathering up their things to leave. Duo still wears the remnants of the evening clothes that he wore as Miliardo. "It's no use, Duo - we'll never find the right girl!" Duo "We will. We have to." Trying to cheer him up. They walk out the door.
Heero "She could be right under our nose Duo I'm sure."
Lena walks past them up the stairs. Seeing no one she walks out.
Lena runs back out to the front of the building where she left her bike. She stops suddenly when she realizes that there is no bicycle there anymore - just Quatre. "What are you doing here? And where's my bike?"
A policeman strolls by. "Officer! My bike has been stolen!" Policeman "Nonsense. There is no crime in the Soviet Socialist Republic." And he keeps walking. Lena realizes that there is no hope in pursuing the policeman so she heads off to find the two men she saw walking out of the building -who has vanished down the street. Quatre starts to follow her.
Lena "Sorry, boy, I have to go." Quatre barks "retu" and starts after her. Lena "No. You can't come with me. I'm leaving . . ." Quatre barks his "retu" and starts after her again. Lena laughing, "It sounds like you're saying "me too". Listen little guy, I have money, no food . . . and no bicycle. I'm the last person you should be following! Lena pats him on the head and heads off in the direction of Duo and Heero. Quatre, of course, follows her.
Lena spots Duo and Heero turning the corner in the distance. Lena runs, trying to catch up with them. She turns the corner and stops the palace is in the distance, only now it's run down, boarded up and partially burned.
Lena is taken back. She stares, fascinated by it -moved by it. As the sun sets behind the Palace, it's bathed in a beautiful golden light.
Inside it in a bedroom is a roaring fire, over which Duo has fashioned a rotating "spit" which is propelled by hand. Duo is carefully basting the only thing on the spit: a head of cabbage. Heero is sitting by the window, staring at the music box that Relena dropped the night of the revolution.
Duo "Even if we find her, what makes you think the prince will even see us?" Heero holds up the music box. Heero "She'll see us."
Lena approaches the palace, tentative and glancing around. She tries to open the door but it won't budge, so she moves to a boarded up window. She looks through a crack in a board. Into the dining area. Dark and eerie. All of its former glory destroyed. In a hole in the wall is Une, the bat who was with Treize.
Lena uses a stick to pry off some of the window boards. Lena climbs into the ballroom. Quatre manages to wiggle in after her and follows Lena as she wanders around, spell bound by the faded glory of the palace.
Lena wanders into the partially destroyed room and bends down to inspect half of a broken plate that's lying on the floor. The instant she touches it, she pulls her hand away as if shocked. Recovering, she picks it up.
Lena wanders out of the room and to the top of a huge staircase, which leads down to the once grand ballroom. She stops at a large landing half way down the steps. Quatre sees a large curtain hanging precariously on the sidewall. Being a puppy he can't resist leaping and grabbing at it with his teeth. Lena notices and runs her hand along a the carved butterflies in the worn banister. She jumps, startled, as Quatre pulls the curtain and it hits the floor.
Heero and Duo look up from their burnt cabbage. They heard it too.
Lena is relieved to see it is only Quatre, who wags his tail happily with the curtain still in his mouth. "What are you do . . ." Lena stops mid sentence, taken by what she see. Behind the curtain was a photo of the PeaceCraft family. The moonlight hits the portrait with a ghostly glow.
The photo mesmerizes Lena. She looks around the Ballroom . . . almost remembering something . . . Lena singing
"DANCING BEARS, PAINTED WINGS
THINGS I ALMOST REMEMBER.
AND A SONG SOMEONE SINGS
ONCE UPON A DECEMBER"
As she sings the ballroom transform into its once splendid glory in her mind. Lena takes off her coat and at once her rags are transformed into a beautiful gown. Miliardo steps down from the photo and walks her down the stairs gracefully and begins a waltz with her.
"SOMEONE HOLDS ME SAFE AND WARM
HORSES PRANCE
THROUGH A SILVER STORM
FIGURES DANCING GRACEFULLY
ACROSS MY MEMORY."
A chorus of voices sings the melody, as royal ghosts appear as elegant and beautiful as they were ten years ago.
"SOMEONE HOLDS ME SAFE AND WARM
HORSES PRANCE
THROUGH A SILVER STORM
FIGURES DANCING GRACEFULLY
ACROSS MY MEMORY."
Heero and Duo appear at the top of the stairs and sees some ragged lunatic dancing with "himself".
"FAR AWAY, LONG AGO
GLOWING DIM AS AN EMBER,
THINGS MY HEART USED TO KNOW
"THINGS IT YEARNS TO REMEMBER
Lena is released from ' embrace. He kisses heron the forehead and slowly backs away. She follows him, back up the stairs to the landing, where the sun has caused a "dust" mist.
"AND A SONG SOMEONE SINGS
ONCE UPON A DECEMBER."
Heero yelling, "Who are you?" Heero's voice causes the visage to disintegrate. All goes back to the way it was - dark and destroyed. Lena spins toward Heero, surprised and frightened.
Lena is caught in a ray of moonlight, directly in front of the image of Relena in the photo. The resemblance is striking. Heero is taken aback, but Duo is unaffected. Duo "You're trespassing, boy!"
Lena is dazed by what has just happened to her and can't quite refocus on reality. "I . . . I . . . need to speak to you about traveling paper."
Heero pokes Duo with his elbow but doesn't take his eyes off Lena. Heero whispering to Duo "It's her." Duo "He's her?" Heero "Look!" Duo looks at Lena again and gets it.
Lena "Are you Heero? I didn't mean to trespass - I don't want to do anything dishonest, but if you could just help me . . ." Duo and Heero walk down the stairs and up her stairs and begin to circle around her.
Duo "Perhaps you heard of our brilliant plan to find a girl and." Heero pokes him hard in the ribs and shakes his head. Heero quietly to Duo "She doesn't want to do anything "dishonest" . . ." Duo gets it, whispers "Ew . . . the honest type." Heero gives Duo a "let me handle this" gestures.
Heero "You look like her. Like the Princess Relena. Has anyone ever told you that before?" Lena is coming back to her senses, doesn't like these men circling her. Lena sarcastic "Oh, yeah - in the orphanage they constantly told me I looked like a princess! Stop that!" Heero stops circling and then begins to use everything that Lena says - the perfect and charming con man that he is - to get what he wants.
Heero "People say Relena was the only member of the Royal Family to escape alive. That makes her an orphan too. What happened to your parents?" Lena "I don't know - I don't remember anything that happened before the revolution . . ."
Heero "You know, it's strange -Relena's uncle, the Prince Miliardo has been looking for Relena since the revolution. Why do you think she wouldn't go to her own uncle?"
Lena "I don't know. I don't see what this has to do with me." Heero "Perhaps it's because she has amnesia too - can't remember . . ." Duo "How much do you weigh?" Heero pokes him again. Duo to Heero "I was just wondering since we already have the dress . . ."
Lena "Look, I came here to get papers to travel to Paris and." Heero "Why do you want to go to Paris?" Lena defiant "I have my reasons." Heero "Relena's uncle is in Paris. We're going to bring Relena to him - in Paris. And I think you are the Princess Relena."
Lena laughs. Duo mouths to Heero "Do you think she's really Relena" Heero shakes his head no, of course not, then continues with Lena. Duo smiles to himself and walks down the stairs - Heero's so good even he got confused!
Heero "You never thought of the possibility?" Lena "Look - there isn't an orphan in the world who doesn't dream She's a princess but, come on . . . Look at me!"
Heero spins around, dramatically pointing to Relena's image in the photo. Heero "No! You look at her at! You look at her at! It could be you."
Lena fiddles with the key around her neck and looks down at the ballroom, remembering what just happened there - could it have been a memory . . .
Heero tries to act casual as he turns and starts walking down the stairs. Heero "You don't have anything to lose. If I am wrong – the Prince will simply tell us you aren't Relena and we'll be on our way. No harm done – an honest mistake - but at least you will be in Paris."
Lena touches Relena's hand in the photo. Lena singing in a whisper "THINGS MY HEART USED TO KNOW
THINGS IT YEARNS TO REMEMBER . . ."
Heero looks at Lena, her back toward him, as he raises his arm to her.
Heero "Find out the truth - come to Paris with us."
Lena expression registers her internal debate. What is it's true . . . It coudn't be . . . but if . . . Then, Lena "All right. I will go with you."
Quatre let's out his "retu". Duo lets out a whoop of joy. Heero smiles and bows to Lena. Heero "Then hello you're Royal Highness Princess Relena."
On one wall is Une who watching the whole thing sighs. Une "Oy. . . he's going to be so mad. . ." She flies out a broken window and into the night.
A.N. I should be updating ever week now until this is finished.
