Part 55: Episode LV: Translation Issues

Episode LV: Translation Issues


Music: Demon's Gig



Arcane Olga is back at it again at Calios Mental Hospital. She... hasn't learned a single new trick since Rouen. It's honestly just the exact same fight except she now has 4000 HP and slightly boosted stats. After all, it's only been two dungeons and three boss fights since she threw down last time.



Really, the biggest change for this fight is our party composition with Halley being forced into the active group. Though recent developments will change our tactics this go around. Or... I suppose more correctly, let us fall into the usual tactics without having to switch it up for Olga's sake.



Yuri can use his Ifrit Fusion, buff himself like usual and augment his blows with help from Alice's Holy Edge before getting to punching. Remember, Olga is a Dark Elemental enemy.



Halley's best bet is spamming Air Shot. We've got to monitor his MP consumption, but he should be mostly OK.





Olga no longer bothers wasting turns with trifling physical attacks. Her game plan is spamming Dark Fog every turn, which will do about 140-160 (around 190 for Alice) HP of damage each cast. With that in mind, we're gonna have to heal the entire party every two casts of Dark Fog.





That's OK. Remember how Alice learned Arc after we beat that jobber Rausen? Well, guess what is a full party 100% heal? It's a hefty 80 MP per cast. But if Alice only needs to use it every other turn, I think we can deal.





Once Arcane Olga falls to around 33% HP, she'll use Mind Assault to drain all of one party member's MP. Apparently, Olga is a huge moron because she chose to drain it from the only member of our team who is using absolutely none of their MP during this fight (I think the AI is just programmed to steal it from whoever currently has the most stock of MP, so welp!)





Other than keeping our Esper and White Mage topped up on MP, there's really not much left to be said about this fight. The first time I played through the game I hadn't gotten Arc unlocked yet so this fight just went like Olga Round 2 but drawn out to be about fifteen minutes with Yuri on healing duty and a bunch of turns wasted on mana restorative items. This way is much more efficient.







And that's a wrap for Arcane Olga. It's usually not a good sign for your human cutscene form if your monster battle form shatters into polygons.

Music: ENDS



_{<snort> Master Bacon is never gonna stop sounding funny...}



RIP Arcane Olga the Witch of Prague. You were... err... evil? That's uhh... that was kind of all you had going for you.

Halley falls to his knees.





Halley flops over unconscious as the others run over to aid him.

Sometime later...


Music: Babysitter is Old Nurse





Yuri, why were you sleeping face down on a dirty rug? There's a couch literally RIGHT there next to you. Sure, its leg is broken. But that's got to have been better than a face full of a mangy orphan rug.

Yuri steps forward, looks around the room and turns back to Alice.



His mother’s death was a big shock to him…

...The HELL are you talking about!? Whose mother? Halley? That Koudelka lady? She... just teleported away with Bacon. Nobody died!
I'm not sure why I interpreted it like that. Let's never discuss it again.
You feelin' alright?



So the game's translation takes the most confusing shit here in which multiple people seem to think Koudelka died despite the fact that... no, she clearly didn't die. She just warped away with Roger Bacon. We'll see her alive and... perhaps not well, but certainly not dead later in the game. The game's localization seems to stabilize again after this point. Mostly... I still have no idea why this specific stretch of the game surrounding Halley is such a damn mess.



Anyway, we're back at the London Rats hideout. All the orphans here have new dialogue. Additionally, a new path has appeared to the left of the room. We'll check out in a moment. First, let's chat with that pickpocketing scamp Joshua.



Literally WHAT? Was there some kinda gas leak while I was takin' a nap. The heck is up with everyone today?
To celebrate, I'll show you my special items! First of all this! It's a strange goblet. It's the goblet of a king who sold his soul to Death! It decorated a church once, but now it's mine.
So... you stole this from a church?
Yeah! But it was an EVIL church!
That's not really narrowing it down or making it right, kiddo.
But I don't need it, so you can have it!
Shouldn't you like... try to sell it for, I dunno, money for food?
Naw! I'll be OK.
<glares> If I'm missing a single coin out of my wallet when I walk away, I'm bringing the scary lady with the big boobies and the gun back...
N-no... Don't do that.



Spoilers: Shadow Hearts has two endings, just like Koudelka -- a Good Ending and a Bad Ending. This item we just received from this dumpy little orphan? It's essential to get the Good Ending. There's nothing we can do with it at the moment or really anytime soon. We'll just keep in mind we are carrying it until towards the end of the game. Thanks, I guess, street urchin...



Ever since he came back, he's been acting strangely and he won't talk. I wonder what could have happened to him?
His mother got kidnapped by a wizard.

...Yeah, that'd do it.
Strong emphasis on the KIDNAPPED part. If anyone says she died, they're talkin' crazy.

We could leave the hideout now to progress the plot. But... let's see what's up with that new section of the orphans' house.



What the actual holy fuck occult ass shit is going down here?! Old man, why the HELL did you make a devil summoning cage match arena in the back of a condemned building being squat in by a bunch of orphans?



Her ability isn't very stable yet, though...
So you built all this for her!? So she will get better at summoning "strange creatures"? Those are demons and ghosts, grandpa. The HELL!?
Think nothing of it. I'm just trying to help.
...



The old man made me a room so that the monsters can come out. So, hey!
Boss battle!
Boss wh—?




Music: NDE - Near Death Experience



Hey guess what?! Bonus boss battle of solo Yuri versus the resurrected Viscount Rausan! Great. I'm glad we're fostering this ability in the little orphan girl. The first thing she did was summon an Inquisition torturer's ghost. I can't wait until we return to London in a few chapters and Dehuai or Arcane Olga are back from the dead too.





This fight is markedly more difficult with just one party member and without Alice to provide healing. Also, being completely unprepared because you wouldn't think talking to an NPC in a new room out of curiosity would immediately toss you into the deep end of a boss battle from half an hour ago in the game.





I also didn't have any Silence preventing accessories equipped for this rematch, so Rausan's AI would actually use Blaze. Ultimately, that probably made the fight easier since Silence does a flat 110+ HP of damage meanwhile Ifrit could tank Blaze for only 71 HP of damage. I still had to burn through a bunch of curative consumables and draw out the battle as a result.





But ultimately, Rausan was sent back to Second Banana Heaven where he belongs. And Yuri outpaces everyone else in the party, even more, leveling wise.


Music: Babysitter is Old Nurse



I should probably do everyone a favor and snap your neck here before this ability gets outta hand.
It'd be cool if you didn't.
I'm not. I'm just gonna leave and not come back.
'Kay. I'll be here summoning more cool creatures.
You do that.



If you cannot guess, eventually Sharon and that arena are going to turn into Europe's version of the Pit Fights from earlier in the game. But that's a sidequest that won't be unlocked until the endgame. There may be a large world state change that unlocks about twenty sidequests prior to the final dungeon. We'll cross that bridge another day...



Speaking of bridges, when we return to the smoggy outdoors of early 1900s London, we find Halley moping on the one near the London Rats hideout. Let's see what's eatin' Edward and Koudelka's one-night stand offspring.


Music: ALICE



<starts walking away> ......
What is it? Your mom’s dead and now you’re just gonna fall apart like a baby?
What did you say to me?!
My mom's not dead! Bacon just took her.
See, Alice? What were you even on about before?
I thought we agreed to never discuss that again.
I didn't agree to nothin'.

Halley marches back up to Yuri and starts shaking with anger.



She was trapped in that god-forsaken place for three years! I thought I’d finally rescued her!
<falls to his knees> Well…
Hah! Go right ahead, cry your whole life away! That’ll make your mother happy!
"I got to see my son for the one day before he went and became a pissbaby sobbing on a bridge for the rest of his days. I guess that's good enough... Go ahead and zap me with your wizard energy Bacon!" She'll say. I'll be a real hoot.
<stands up> You bastard!
Naw... that's you, boss baby. I notice there's only mommy in your stories...
Yuri, that's a bit much...



Halley tries to take a swing at Yuri. There's a lot of ways you can mess with Yuri. Attempting to get into a fist fight with him is the VERY LAST one you should ever attempt...



Maybe you should figure out why your mom is at that monster’s beck and call… Then decide what to do yourself.
Is he... gonna be OK?
<twitch>
Don't worry, I held back to baby strength. He's still breathin', I think...
<gurgle>
There ya go.

Yuri starts walking away.



I was wondering what Halley’s mom’s words meant. The man calling himself Bacon… That’s what I need to check on. I’ll go to the ends of the earth to reveal his true identity.
Now I just gotta figure out where the heck this "Wales" place is...
The man calling himself Bacon…
......
Can it be?!


Music: But-Dad-Dead-Bed





And he said he was going to go and meet Cardinal Simon… Has he not shown up yet?
<shakes head> …Not yet. Father, is that person really going to come?
Yes, he’ll definitely come. He’s the only one capable of defeating Roger Bacon…

Father Elliot walks down the stairs. He is stopped by...


Music: Wind Which Blows From the Dark II



Hel...

Roger Bacon strolls out from the darkness.



Heh heh heh… Pleased to meet you. I’m Roger Bacon.



And then Alice's father exploded all over that alley. Quite literally. The aftermath with his guts and assorted gibs sprayed all over is the very first thing we see in the game.

Back in the present...


Music: ALICE



Huh?!
Hello? Earth to Alice!! Is anyone up there?!
I could see the kid being out of it...
Ihimeoffey...
But what's up with you?
Yuri! I’m going to go to Rouen again! There’s something I need to make certain of!
Huh?! Right now?? I’ll go with you.
No. I’m going by myself this time. I know I’m being selfish… But please let me go…

Sometime later...


Music: Babysitter is Old Nurse



<shakes head> What was I supposed to do? You wouldn’t believe how stubborn that girl is.
Yuri, it's not like she's popping over to the corner store for some milk. You let her go off to FRANCE!
<rubs neck> Yeah... well...
She said she’d be back soon. I think we should just wait for her.
It took us half a week to get here between walking and the boat ride! And that was just one way!
Hmm, it’s unusual for that girl to do something so rash…
But why would she be going to Rouen now? What could it be about?
Who knows? All we can do is pray she comes back safe.
I suppose we could probably catch up with her. I mean... she cannot have gotten THAT far. Have you seen the way she runs? It's all arms flailing and nearly tripping over.
Nah... Let's just wait it out. It'll be fine. Probably...
Tch. Do whatever! I'm going to that pub down the street.
Yo! Same!
That sounds pleasant.
Can a vampire even get drunk?
Heck yeah! Let's find out! Just watch your wallets on the way out of this dump.

Everyone goes downstairs but Yuri and Halley.



I heard about what happened to your parents.
My parents? Who did you hear that from?
It can't be Alice. She's not even here.
From Zhuzhen.
<clenches fist> Arrg! So now the old man is Mr. Sensitive?! How could he!
<laughs> Careful, Halley. When people reach the end of their lives they get all talkative and heartfelt. Yech. So far as I’m concerned, old farts should just go…
Yuri! Yuri… You helped me because of what happened to your own mother, right?
<shakes head> So I’m saying old folks are just…
People you gotta cut loose eventually. You see the old man recently? Guy is lagging like ten levels behind the younger generation. It's just kinda sad...
Once Alice comes back, you’re going somewhere else again, right?
<nods> Huh? Yeah. I’m going to go find this Old Man of Wales that your mom was talking about.
Just gotta find out where the heck this Wales place is first. I asked a few people in town and they just shuddered and changed the subject or ran off screaming... I hope it's not far. My feet are starting to hurt.
I wanna go with you.
Halley, thou hast not won even once.
Remember that time you said that and it sounded really dumb? Man... it still does, doesn't it?
Yeah... now that I hear someone else say it...
Anyway, naw and later...

Yuri starts walking off. Halley runs up to him.



Just as your mother did whatever she could, now I… I want to do whatever I can. Please? It’s ok, right?

<sigh> Gonna regret this, but...
<nods> Okay, I got it. We’ll go together.
<nods>

And that concludes Chapter 18 of Shadow Hearts. Tune in next time as we get sidetracked in France with Alice in Chapter 19: Rouen Reunion. You know, I'm starting to suspect Shadow Heart's Roger Bacon might not actually be the same shriveled up old man from Koudelka...



Quite a bit went down that chapter and we've got a hefty list of new entries in the ol' library. Let's take a look.



MONSTER:



Please. Somebody just adjust their X-Axis up 45 degrees. Even like 30 degrees. Anything.



Little known fact, gestating puppy fetuses have a fully grown vestigial arm growing out of their maw until just before birth.



Ah! That explains everything about this creature.



I didn't know there was a well of Welsh water beneath the mental hospital. That explains a lot!



Are we sure this wasn't supposed to be Jack's second form or something...?



I can't believe Olga was actually Olga! Incidentally, Killerman is Killerman.

NPC:



Look at him. He got his own model and super smug face we never saw before he died.



You always hate to see former protagonists falling on hard times.




Video: Arcane Olga Boss Battle (Prepared. No sweat)


Video: Rausan Round 2 (Severely not prepared for this jerk.)