An American Tail: Fievel's New York Tails Volume 3

Episode 6: Enter The Bully, Part 2

SCENE 1

Fade in on the street of the mouse neighborhood, mid-morning. The mice are busy as usual, coming and going and working outside homes and storefronts.

Zoom in on the front of the Mousekewitz house, the door opens and Fievel steps out, looking like he has just woken up. He looks out at the busy street for a moment, before notices a scrap of paper lying at the edge of the front yard. Fievel walks toward the paper, picks it up and looks at it with a confused expression. Closeup of the paper in his hand, it is a note that is crudely written, full of scribbles, misspellings and awkwardly positioned words, making it almost impossible to read. Fievel holds the paper close to his eyes, clearly unable to make sense of it.

FIEVEL: (mutters in bewilderment) Huh, I wonder who could have left this? Whoever wrote it is someone who can't write any more than I can read. (thinking) Hmm, maybe Tanya can read it.

He turns around and carries the note into the house.

Cut to the interior of the Mousekewitz house. Fievel goes up to the bedroom where Tanya has just finished getting dressed.

FIEVEL: Tanya, I found this note in the front yard, and I can't seem to read it. Can you see what it says?

TANYA: Well, maybe. Let me look at it.

Fievel hands the note to his sister, she looks at it carefully.

TANYA: Um... I think it says... "Fievel, meet us at.... the schoolyard at one o'clock today. Don't chicken out. Signed... Noodles", hmm, quite an odd way to sign a letter, and it has some awful spelling, the lines aren't straight...

FIEVEL: (thinking) "Noodles"... (gasps) Noodles! One of the boys from Orphan Alley! He's the one I fought with two days ago.

TANYA: Wait, that's his name?

FIEVEL: Yes. And he says my name is stupid.

TANYA: How does he know where we live?

FIEVEL: One problem at a time, Tanya. He must want to fight me again, I've got to do something, but what? (he begins to tremble)

Tanya puts down the sheet of paper and tries to calm Fievel down.

TANYA: If it would make you feel better, Fievel, I can go with you and protect you.

Fievel thinks about it. Then he takes a deep breath.

FIEVEL: Alright, Tanya. We'll both go. But, I'm still nervous.

TANYA: You have every right to be, Fievel. But please remember, I'm always here for you and so are Mama and Papa.

FIEVEL: (hugs Tanya bravely) Thanks, sis. I appreciate that.

SCENE 2

Crossfade to next scene: Fievel and Tanya run into Tony while heading down the street.

TONY: Hey there, Fillie, Tillie. Where you off to? (walks alongside them)

FIEVEL: Tony, I need your help. Those bullies from Orphan Alley are after me again.

TONY: (gasps) No!

FIEVEL: (nods) Yes. Their leader, "Noodles", left a note, saying to meet them at the schoolyard this afternoon. I'm afraid to think of what they have planned for me.

TONY: Man. If they had the guts to write you a note, they must really mean business. Well, I sure as heck won't stand by and let them mangle you, much less your sister too!

TANYA: I still think we should have told Mama and Papa everything before we left.

FIEVEL: (upset) Oh, how could we explain it to them? They'd probably think it was all a joke.