Akito and Estelle Meet Anastasia

chapter 4

They came up to a building labeled 'People's Orphanage'.

'This must be the place." Estelle was sure now.

"People's Orphanage?" Penny asked, confused.

"That's a strange name for an orphanage." Akito and Estelle commented.

"Yeah." Scruffy nodded.

They looked into the windows as a grown young adult female was coming downstairs as an older haggard woman was speaking with her as they were about to go out the front doors.

"Looks like someone's coming." Dot said.

"I got you a job in the Fish Factory," the haggard woman told Anastasia, who was now a young adult. "You go straight down this path 'til you get to the fork in the road, go left--"

"Bye!" Anastasia told everyone in the orphanage who waved to her as she was leaving.

"Are you listening?" the woman glared at her.

"Bye, everybody!" Anastasia waved with a smile, then looked back to the woman. "I'm listening, Comrade Phlegmenkof."

"You've been a thorn in my side since you were brought here." the woman snarled as she tugged on Anastasia's scarf.

"With a woman like that, I can't understand how Anastasia was able to stand her." Estelle whispered.

"I respect her." Felicity replied about the strictness of the woman.

"Are you kidding? That old bat sounds like she could drive someone crazy." Akito whispered.

"I know she is to me..." Scruffy groaned. "And I thought Mama Cookie was strict!"

"You're telling me." Dot said.

Anastasia grunted and gasped as the woman pulled on her scarf, but she waved to her friends in the orphanage before going off.

"Acting like the Queen of Sheba, instead of the nameless no account you are, and for the last ten years I've fed you, I've clothed you, I've kept a roof over your head." the woman scoffed as she dragged Anastasia through the snow.

Anastasia was mimicking what the old bag was saying. The pets hid giggles to that, finding it kind of funny. The kids did the same thing as they also found it funny.

The woman glared back as she opened the gates. "How is it you don't have a clue as to who you were before you came to us, but you can remember all that?"

"I do have a clue to--" Anastasia held her necklace.

"Ugh, I know!" the woman pulled on the necklace. "'Together in Paris'. So, you want to go to France to find your family, huh?" she then asked before laughing.

"What's so funny about that?" Estelle asked, coming out of hiding.

"Shh..." Vincent warned her so they wouldn't be seen or in trouble.

"Little Miss Anya, it's time to take your place in life." the woman told Anastasia.

"Anya?" the others asked, wondering why she had called her that.

"Why did she call her Anya?" Scruffy asked.

"How am I supposed to know?!" Akito glanced down at his puppy.

"Let's reveal ourselves now." Estelle said.

"You think that's a good idea?" Snow White asked.

"Come on then." Felicity walked over first.

"Yeah." Dot smiled.

"In life and line, be grateful too!" the woman scoffed with a cough before throwing back Anastasia's scarf to her. "Together in Paris!" she then shut the gate with a cackle as she walked back into the orphanage.