ANYA (singing in a whisper) THINGS MY HEART USED TO KNOW THINGS IT YEARNS TO REMEMBER ... Dmitri looks at Anya, her back toward him, as he raises his arm to her. DMITRI Find out the truth - come to Paris with us. Anya expression registers her internal debate. What if it's true... It couldn't be... but if... Then, ANYA All right. I will go with you. Meetoo lets out his "retu". Vladimir lets out a whoop of joy. Dmitri smiles and bows to Anya. DMITRI The Her Royal Highness Princess Anastasia! ON BARTOK having watched the whole thing - he sighs. BARTOK Oy. . . he's gonna be so mad... Bartok flies out a broken window and into the night. EXT. AERIAL VIEW OF ST. PETERSBURG - NIGHT BARTOK'S POV The city lights fade and we move into the blackness of the Russian forest. Finally, in the distance. we see the orange glow of a fire. EXT. GYPSY CAMP - NIGHT Bartok swoops along the wagons. Everyone looks to be asleep. Bartok keeps flying until he sees an ONIOUS LOOKING BLACK WAGON, the largest and most elaborate. Bartok screws up his courage and flies into the open window of the BLACK WAGON. INT. RASPUTIN'S WAGON A lone candle lights the dark wagon. A frightened Bartok, stays on the window sill. BARTOK Ummm ... Father Gregori? It's, uhh ... me. Bartok. (a sign of relief) Phew! Not home ... Rasputin's face suddenly ROARS into FRAME from the bed below, his eyes fiery red and his beard wild. RASPUTIN What? BARTOK Oh my God! (wing to chest) Don't do that ... feel my heart. Go ahead. I'm dying here ... RASPUTIN (smiling) And what do you want, my little rat-with-wings? Rasputin rises and pours himself a glass of vodka. BARTOK Name calling! That's mature. Rasputin grabs him by the throat. RASPUTIN I gave you that tongue and I can rip it out! BARTOK (strangled) No, I really like my tongue... we're very attached. (rasputin releases him) Oyyyy... Okay, now... promise you won't get angry. RASPUTIN (sweetly) Why would I ever be angry with you, little friend? BARTOK Yeah, right. Keep that thought okay? So, I'm in town, stop by the old palace. You get a better class of bats there - no tattoos or anything. Rasputin rummages around for a full bottle of vodka, tossing the empties - which Bartok has to dodge. BARTOK (CONT.) So, I'm cruisin' the rafters and... what can I say, I struck out. I thought chicks would like the fact that I can talk, you know but, I mean, the way things are going I couldn't get invited to a plague. (a bottle smashes) Someone's gotta clean that up... RASPUTIN Get to the point sometime tonight.. I'm late for a wenching. BARTOK Okay... you're not gonna like this but, well, it looks like Anastasia is ... still alive. He tenses, waiting for Rasputin's explosion but Rasputin just laughs. RASPUTIN Impossible. That rumor's been around for years. Bartok hovers face-to-face. BARTOK Trust me, it's her! RASPUTIN (eyes narrowing) How do you know? BARTOK Rodent's intuition, how do I know? She looks exactly like her. Except she's taller, which is natural ... Of course my second cousin Treplev - he never grew. Looks like a little pepper shaker. He was so cute ... Rasputin begins a slow growl that builds. BARTOK (CONT. ) Oyyy... I knew this was gonna to upset him! Rasputin howls in anger and smashes his glass against the wall. He moves toward the CABINET, knocking over furniture. Rasputin flings open the cabinet and we see the RELIQUARY, glowing gently as if it were sleeping. Bartok covers his eyes in fear. Even Rasputin seem a bit nervous in front of it. RASPUTIN (with reverence) Source of my power. Owner of my soul. I need your help. Rasputin takes the RELIQUARY out of the cabinet and sets it on the table. BARTOK Hey, she's just a kid. And she's going to Paris outta sight, outta mind, outta Russia. RASPUTIN I cursed then all! BARTOK My Aunt Bella, sweet woman not the brightest bat in the world - she used to hang right side up, anyway she always said "Curses were made to be broken". Course, she said it in those irritating little bat squeaks, so it wasn't quite so profound... Rasputin pulls out a set of RUSSIAN DOLLS (a small painted. hollow doll with a smaller doll inside it, and a smaller doll inside it, etc.) The first doll bears an eerie resemblance to Nicholas. Inside the second looks like Alexandra, all the way down to the ANASTASIA doll. "THE END OF THE LINE" (PRODUCTION NUMBER) Rasputin will have a DARK, MENACING, DELICIOUSLY SCARY NUMBER in whIch he SINGS of his obsession with killing the Romanovs once and for all. Bartok will interject comically throughouut. as Rasputin will conjure up tLis minions from the iquary and sing about Romanovs FINALE, he sends them off after Anya. SONG TO INCORPORATE THE FOLLOWING SENTIMENTS: RASPUTIN The Romanovs tried to kill me and I swore to destroy all of them! If she lives, if she should have a child someday, the Romanov Family continues! And I won't lot that happen! THIS IS THE END OF THE LINE! He crushes the Anastasia doll in his massive hand. BARTOK You know, this is really obsessive behavior. There is this doctor this doctor in Austria, Sigmund something and he feels. . . Bartok land on the table while be's talking and his wing accidently knocks the RELIQUARY on its side and it begins to roll. RASPUTIN YOU IDIOT Rasputin makes a sad leap, grabbing it seconds before it shatters on the floor. Rasputin holds it up. The smokey SPIRITS inside swirl around, moaning. RASPUTIN (CONT.) (to Reliquary) Yesses - you'd all like to get out, wouldn' t you? Sorry just one at a time and only when I call. Rasputin spins an Bartok, who Us been slinki away, and slams a goblet over his. BARTOK'S POV From under the glass, Rasputin looks distorted and even more horrifying. RASPUTIN (to Bartok) Do you have any idea what would happen if that broke?! BARTOK (voice under glass) You'd lose your security deposit? RASPUTIN (waving reliquary) Evil, powerful beings - I have their power only if I contain them, control them. If they should all be released at once... well ... Rasputin smiles with his horrible yellow, decayed teeth, and lifts the glass an if to whisper in Bartok, a ear. RASPUTIN (CONT.) YOU DON'T WANT TO BE AROUND IF THAT HAPPENS! The volume of Rasputin's voice rattles Bartok around the inside of the glass. Rasputin focuses on the RELIQUARY. RASPUTIN (CON'T.) (to reliquary) Where is she? Where is Princess Anastasia... Inside the reliquary the awoke begins to mow Suddenly, the smoke EXPLODES in a burst and forms into the smoke from a train engine. As the reliquary picture broadens, we see a train and Anya, Dmitri and Vladimir all hurrying to catch it. RASPUTIN(CONT.) She has friends. No matter... Bartok looks desperate under glass. He trios to topple the glass prism by jumping up but just cooks his head. BARTOK Ohhh, that was dumb... BARTOK (CONT.) (calling to Rasputin) Hello, I've get really terrible claustrophobia. That's why I could never live in a cave ... Rasputin gives his attention only to the reliquary. RASPUTIN Finish my prophecy... Smoke begins to pour out of the reliquary. asput almost giddy with the thought of finishing ambition, laughs hysterically. BARTOK Ew, I hate when he does this! As Rasputin swirls his arms the smoke begins to form into MINIONS. All look human at first, but then we see MINION ONE, has the body of a human and a head of a JACKAL, MINION TWO has the face of a woman and the claws of a TIGER, and MINION- the most horrible of all - has a huge bear-like body with the head of a VULTURE. All wear long capes with hoods. RASPUTIN She is not to get off that train... alive! Rasputin kicks open the wagon door and leaps outside. The MINIONS, still filling out into forms, follow. One of the wisps of smoke, like a tail, swishes by and knocks over Bartok's glass prism, freeing his. EXT. GYPSY CAMP - NIGHT Rasputin releases his BLACK HORSES who stoup -and whinny, men ing something bad, as two Minions float on to them the other flies ahead of than. RASPUTIN Go! I don't care what you do with the others but finish the girl! KILLLLL HERRRRR! (sinister) And have fun... The Minions take off. Rasputin laughs wildy. END MUSICAL NUMBER INT. TATIANA'S STUDY, PARIS - DAY CLOSE ON TATIANA'S HANDS covering her face. Slowly dropping her hands down to reveal an older, sad TATIANA. TATIANA Take her away, Sophie. PULL BACK to reveal a YOUNG WOMAN standing in front of bar desk. TATIANA Haven't anything better to do than to break my heart. Sophie ushers the now ashamed YOUNG WOMAN to the door. The YOUNG WOMAN looks amazing like Anya except that her hair is long and her clothes are now. She walks with a certain regal grace until she passes through the doorway - out of Tatiana's sight - and her posture "question-marks" and she lopes out. TATIANA (CONT.) (quietly) No more. So more... Sophie. heavier and larger bottomed than ten years earlier, speaks quickly - without ev er breathing, in a high pitched nervous chitter. SOPHIE (very rapidly) Oh, oh... I must say. I thought that one was bar - i'm just so shocked that she wasn't real well, she was real, I mean she was human, of course. but not our real. I must say, even my sisters were touched by her yes - yes they were... XENIA and ESTELLE, as pinched and skinny as Sophie in "full", don't appear to ever have been "touched" by anything (or anyone). SOPHIE (CONT.) ... moved to tears of joy! We won't be f ooled next time, girls! I'm a going to think of really hard questions... TATIANA (stopping Sophie with a raise of her hand) No, Sophie. My heart can't take it anymore! I will see no more girls claiming to be Anastasia. Tatiana walks sadly out of the room. EXT. TRAM STATION - MORNING Anya and Metoo doze near a fire along with the other PEASANTS waiting for the train. Dmitri looks over Vladimir's shoulder nervously watching his forging their travel papers. DMITRI Hurry up with those papers. VLADIMIR Would you have leaned over Rembrant's shoulder and told him to paint faster? Vladimir looks at Dmitri's anxious face. VLADIMIR (CONT.) You probably would. (hands his the papers) They're still wet. A TRAIN WHISTLE SLOWS and Vlad Moves to Anya. VLADIMIR (CONT.) Wake up, young lady, that's our train. DMITRI (correcting) "Wake up, your highness" - we should start getting used to saying it. VLADIMIR What a world - a man who was in my position in society is calling a peasant 'Your Highness". Dmitri leans over and tugs Anya's hair lightly. DMITRI (to Anya) Wake up! Anya's eyes flash open and - totally on reflex - she belts Dmitri in the nose. Ditri reels back, lands on his butt - Vladimir observes ruefully. VLADIMER We have a lot of work to do... EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM - SECONDS LATER Vladimir, using his ample belly, bumps people out of the way as they head for the train. Vlad climbs on just as it starts up, followed by Dmitri. Dmitri turns back and reaches out his hand to help Anya up. But she freezes... just STANDS THERE, not running. ANYA'S POV DMITRI Come on! Dmitri on the train, his band extended - just like Tatiana's was. Although Anya can't quite remember, something about this terrifies bar. She snaps out of it when Meetoo nips her ankle. Anya looks down and sees the puppy, picks his up and runs for the train. DMITRI Take my hand! Anya puts Meetoo into his hands and Jumps on without touching his. INT. TRAIN COMPARTMENT The compartment is JAMMED with travelers. Suitcases and packages balanced precariously. Dmitri sits down and carefully touches his painful noso. DMITRI Do you always punch people first thing in the morning? ANYA Sorry - it's a reflex. Living in an orphanage if someone bothers you - you automatically come up swinging. DMITRI I wasn't bothering you. I was trying to wake you up! OVER ANYA'S SHOULDER, out of the window. we see the THREE MINIONS on horseback charging down a snow covered hill toward the train. ANYA By pulling my hair?! DMITRI I was all out of dynamite! Dmitri touches his nose again. Anya opens the window and grabs some snow. WE SEE the minions racing wildly to catch up with the train. As the scene continues, we see the minions, by one, getting close to the train and then disappear from view - only their riderless horses ride away. ANYA (hands Dmitri the snow) Put it on your nose. For heaven's sake, you're making such a fuss! Dmitri tries to act very manly as he puts the ice on his nose, but cringes with the cold. Anya smiles. ANYA (to herself) Men are such babies... An ELDERLY WOMAN loaded with packages cones into the compartment. Anya immediately rises to help her. ANYA Here, let me Dmitri and Vlad both pull her back down. DMITRI You're a princess... VLADIMIR Royalty do not help people with their luggage. Anya gives them both a look and helps the woman. VLADIMIR Well, she certainly has a mind of her own. DMITRI Yes. And I hate that in a woman. Vlad holds Meotoo, who is enthralled and plays with Vladimir's drooping mustache, like a kitten with a string. The COMPARTMENT DOOR swings open and an OMINOUS LOOKING GUARD strides in! GUARD Papers! Everyone rustles for their papers. Dmitri confidently pulls out their papers, done in beautiful BLACK ink. Then, he glances at the PERSON NEXT TO HIM and sees that his papers are done in a bright RED ink. Dmitri looks over at Vladimir - who has seen the mistake as well. VLADIMIR (sheepishly) It's what I hate about this government - everything in red! The guard hand papers back to a soulful looking man with a frozen beard. GUARD Thank you, Comrade Zhivago. ZHIVAGO Doctor Zhivago. GUARD approaches Vlad and Dmitri. VLADIMIR What do we do now? DMITRI Pray he's color-blind... Dmitri flashes the Guard a charming smile as he hands over his papers. Vladimir is nervously playing with his mustache until it stands out straight. Anya has no idea what's going on. GUARD wait here. As the Guard heads out of the compartment, Vlad turns to Dmitri and they exchange an "oh, no" look. INT. CORRIDOR, ANOTHER CAR The MINIONS, hoods pulled low, push their way through the PASSENGERS in search of Anastasia. INT. CORRIDOR Dmitri spots the GUARD conferring with the GUARDS over the papers. Anya pokes bar head out. ANYA I'm going to stretch my legs DMITRI That's a good idea - a great idea - stretch your legs (pointing the opposite direction of the guards) ... stretch then that way. Anya looks at him like he's crazy and walks away. ANYA (to herself) I must have hit him harder than I thought... Dmitri runs back in and grabs his SMALL BACKPACK. He pulls Vlad, carrying Meetoo, out off the compartment Anya has a load on them as they follow. INT TRAIN COMPARTMENT - DAY The GUARDS burst in, ready for an arrest. In the background, the hooded Minions pass. The Guards, seeing empty seats, head back out. INT. TRAIN CORRIDOR - ANOTHER CAR Anya looks out the window as the country side flies by and smiles. INT. CORRIDOR The Guards spot three figures at the far end of the car. GUARD That's them! Come on! They run after who they think are the fugitives. The Guard grabs a minion and spins him around. It's MINION THREE, who comes face-to-beak with him and lets out a HORRENDOUS SCREECH, causing the other Minion to turn around. The Guards scream and reel backward, pushing and shoving each other to got out of the way The Minions proceed up the corridor, MINION TWO, spot Anya looking out the window. He grabs her. palling her viciously to the other Minions. She spins around - it isn't Anya - it's a SERIOUSLY UGLY WOMAN. The Minions now scream and reel back in horror. INT. CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS Dmitri and Vladimir catch up to Anya and grab her in each arm, loading bar down the hall WE HEAR the MINIONS SCREAM from the next car. EXT. BETWEEN CARS Anya. Dmitri and Vlad step out on a platform and see there is no place left to run. Only the engine is ahead of them. DMITRI Wait here! He leaps up gracefully, grabbing the edge of the roof, and pull& himself up. ANYA (to Vlad) Would you like to tell what we are... as Dmitri's head, upside down, appears from the roof. DMITRI Come on up! ANYA Why? Vladimir picks Anya from up from tobehind and hoists her up to Dmitri. She hollers. EXT. TRAIN ROOF Anya is pulled up by Dmitri, with a force that knocks them both over Anya on top. An awkward moment. Anya rolls off him as Dmitri tries to catch the breath she knocked out of him. ANYA Just what do you think you're doing?! DMITRI Trying... to... breathe... Suddenly, Meetoo appears, as if he were flying and lots out a little "retu". Vladimir has tossed his up and Dmitri catches his, band his to Anya, and reaches down to Vladimir. INT. CORRIDOR Though the window the Minions see Vladimir's legs as he's being lifted. INT. ROOF oF TRAIN Dmitri struggles to got Vlad to the roof but he's losing his grasp. Anya puts Meetoo down and reaches to help the dangling Vlad. Even Meetoo helps by pulling an Vladimir's scarf . EXT. PLATFORM Minion one grabs for Vladimir's legs, just as they disappear. EXT. ROOF OF TRAIN Dmitri and Anya let out a sigh of relief as Vlad in safe, but it's short lived as they both SIMULTANEOUSLY lot out a yell. DMITRI & ANYA'S POV: a TUNNEL rapidly approaching. They hit the deck, Vlad on his back between Anya and Dmitri. Anya and Dmitri exchange a quick look as the tunnel gets closer - Vladimir's stomach is sticking up too high to clear the tunnel. They reach up together and push down on his big belly, causing his eyes to bulge ON THE SIDE OF THE TRAIN The minions, now climbing up the side are plunged into total darkness. ON THE ROOF light hits as the train comes out of the tunnel. Vlad lets out a gasp as they release his belly. Just then a Minion hand reaches up over the edge. Dmitri assumes it's a Guard. DMITRI The guards! (Anya gives his a lack) I'll explain later. Anya and Vlad follow Dmitri toward the back of the train. ON THE MINIONS now on the roof, seeing their prey in short distance. ON ANYA AND THE OTHERS running, without looking back. jumping from car to car, passing Meetoo like a football. Vladiair makes a huge running leap into the air... INT. TRAIN COMPARTMENT As all PASSENGERS react to Vladimir's bulk hitting and denting the coiling. EXT. ROOF OF TRAIN The TRAIN WHISTLE erupts and Anya glances back to see her pursuers just as they are enveloped in the thick black smoke of the engine. Behind them, Anya can another tunnel. TUNNEL They drop down, this time Vlad in on his stomach. Anya and Dmitri realize his butt won't clear the tunnel. They push it down. ON THE MINIONS An the smoke disappears, the Minions' eyes go wide when they realize it's too late for them. The train roars the tunnel as the MINIONS SMASH &"'not the sift of the mountain in a COLORFUL BURST OF SMOKE from which they were created. INT. RASPUTIN'S WAGON - PARALLEL TIME DISSOLVE TO EXT. ROOF OF TRAIN - DAY Rasputin stares at the scene in his reliquary, watching his well laid plan *go up in smoke", and lots out a simmering growl. Anya is standing with her hands an her hips arguing with Dmitri and Vladiair. ANYA Forged papers! Now, what?! DMITRI Now just get off the train. ANYA HUH?! Dmitri motions that they are going to Jump. Anya shakes her head slowly. ANYA Noooo.... VLADIMIR She's quite right, Dmitri, a man of my stature should not have to Dmitri shoves him off the top of the train with Meetoo in his arm. Dmitri then puts out his hand to Anya. DMITRI Come on, we'll jump together... Take my hand. Dmitri turns forward and sees the train is approaching a HIGH RAILROAD BRIDGE over a rocky ravine. It's now or never. DMITRI Come on! ANYA No! With his outstretched hand, Dmitri shoves her off the bar. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY Vladimir has landed in a large pile of snow. He stands, rubbing his bottom. VLADIMIR I think I have hurt my... Meetoo comes out of the pile of leaves, rubbing his bottom and answers Vladimir's with his "retu". A short distance away, Anya seems to be sitting on top of a puddle - but she isn't wet. Suddenly, Dmitri gets up from underneath her, covered in snow. Anya isn't wet because she landed on Dmitri! She jumps up. DMITRI You must enjoy causing me pain! ANYA You shouldn't have pushed us! Vladimir and Meetoo come over. VLADIMIR Is everyone all right? ANYA I'm fine. DMITRI She's fine! (limping away) I may never walk right again, but she's fine... INT. RASPUTIN'S WAGON Rasputin paces, still angry at the Minions. Bartok, nervous, fakes a yawn and stretches. BARTOK Well, I better got goin'. Got a busy day letting all the blood rush to my head... Rasputin pulls him back in, then speaks to his reliquary. RASPUTIN She's too far away, isn't she? The reliquary glows eyes. Rasputin places It back in it's cabinet. RASPUTIN (CONT.) Yesss... our power is much stronger when were near. We must get close to her. BARTOK Oy... not a road trip. I get wagon sick, you know that. Rasputin smacks him against the wall as he stomps out of the wagon. Bartok slides down the wall. BARTOK (CONT.) You're absolutely right. Travel broadens your horizons... And he hits the floor. EXT. GYPSY CAMP - MIGHT Rasputin, on his obsessed mission, leaps on top of the wagon as Bartok, still dizzy, tries to catch up. RASPUTIN We'll catch her and finish her! (he grabs the, reigns) We ride this night! Rasputin then looks down and sees that there are no horses harnessed he gave then to the begins a slow growl. BARTOK Well, we wait this night!