Part 50: Episode XLVI: Petrograd Patrol

Episode XLVI: Petrograd Patrol


Music: Anastasia ~ Going Her Way



Rasputin said he was going out this evening. I'd better patrol the city until then!

Time to hit the town with Anastasia. But there are a couple of new items of note to go over first.



Anastasia now has a weapon -- a mechanical flying Fabergé Egg. It is not quite as unusual as Joachim's assorted bludgeons or Alice whacking people with the Bible, but it's pretty high up there on weird weapons for this series.



Additionally, now that Anastasia has the camera she can now use her special ability Snapshot. Her special ability is essentially being a Blue Mage from Final Fantasy. This also doubles as the Scan equivalent for the game.



But we'll get to that when she actually gets in a fight. Petrograd, like most towns, is devoid of any random battles. So I'm not sure why they felt the need to give the tutorial for her skill right now up front. But whatever, I'm sure the Princess will find a way to get herself into trouble soon enough.



There are a couple directions we can head. But really only one is valid if we want to explore. Going north is restricted as it would send us back to the world map and I don't think that's advisable for the princess of a highly unpopular royal family to go wandering outside the city unattended. Likewise, going to the west down the street will lead to plot progress and we clearly need to bug all the locales first.



It is January in Russia and hasn't been above freezing in weeks. What do you expect?



Tch. I know where things are in my own city, thank you very much!



All traitors to the state will be put down!



Meh. I threw my dinner in the garbage. Beef Stroganoff AGAIN? They need to fire that chef.
...How nice for you.



To the south we have Palace Square where quite a few more people are wandering around in the dead of night in the middle of winter. As was the style of the time in Russia.



I tried immersing myself in a tub of ink to divine some sort of inspiration but, well... I just ended up smelling of ink.
<holds nose> You're inspiring me to get as far away from you as possible.



What was your name again, sir?
Kornei, Swearing Revenge!
<jots down in notepad> Kornei Swearingrevenge. Treason suspect.
W-What was that?
Oh nothing. Carry on.



Somehow, the Magimel brothers have made it all the way to Petrograd in their little shop truck before people in a literal jet arrived. Gerard's shop actually does have new supplies, namely the newest tier of weapons for everyone (what they would have gotten if they had endured the torture scene correctly earlier.) But, we'll wait until we actually have a full party again before examining their wares.



Clothing for pre-pubescent dolls in exchange for collectible trading cards of beefy studs is my calling!
<jots down in notebook> Pierre... does that sign say... Magimel? Yeah, that looks right. Pierre Magimel. Pervert suspect. There's another one for the royal police to handle.
Excuse me, dearie. Did you say something?
Oh, I am just browsing. Tee hee.
Oh by all means!



I'm not exactly sure how it all happened, but I'm sure there were lots of grown-up reasons...
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, by a Serbian national triggered a succession of alliance pacts which led to the current conflict. Specifically, Serbia was b—
...Yeah, that sounds like a lotta grown-up reasons.
Hmph. Fine. Live in ignorance like a commoner.



Here's the base of the Alexander Column, a 47.5 meter tall and 500-ton pillar of red granite installed after the Russians repelled Napoleon's invasion in 1812. Get rekt, Napoleon. There's nothing special but it is a real location even if Palace Square is significantly slightly reduced in size.



I don't suppose a little kid like you would understand, but revolution is coming... I can feel it!
Yep, I'm just a dumb kid. Hey, could I get your name?
Why, child?
Umm... it's for a school project.
Hmm... I am called Fervent Joseph.
Fervent... Joseph... Treason suspect. Mmm... OK! We're done here!
<eyes with suspicion> Hmph.



They say he cured Prince Alexei through his faith, but even that's questionable. *sigh* What's gonna become of Russia?
I agree about Rasputin, but watch what you say about the Tsar's politics!





Over in the corner by the Winter Palace, we find yet another Crest. I suppose we can slap that on Anastasia to give her at least some offensive magic. And I need to remember to check out Solomon's Key next time we get access to it.



We cannot reenter the Winter Palace at the moment. We need to expose Rasputin's vile plot, after all.





And to do that, we need to return to the previous street where we started and go down the road opposite of Edgar's shop.





And as soon as we do, Rasputin swaggers down the street. The princess quickly ducks down a nearby alley.



Anastasia's remarkable stealth skills once more come into play. Rasputin pays her no mind and continues off down the road. Maybe she does actually have an extremely high stealth skill and that's why nobody sees her as soon as she crouches.

Rasputin continues on down the road. Anastasia hops back to her feet.



<slams fist into palm> I bet he's up to evil. Or getting a late-night snack. An EVIL late-night snack.



I've been seeing a figure coming out of the palace in the middle of the night. I'm pretty sure it's Rasputin...
It's sort of hard to miss him.



Your grandpa better not be planning to infiltrate the palace for an evil plot!
N-no... He was just a plumber. He fixed some pipes in the palace secret passage once and repaired some flood damage.
Hmm... OK. Carry on. But I'm watching you and your grandpa!
O... K...?





Further down the street, we see Rasputin cross over into a walkway by the canal. Where else are you going to have shady dealings?



Sir, public intoxication is highly frowned upon by the royal family.
*hic* Yeah, the day they start enforcing that is the day the whole nobility gets put up against the wall.
<grumble> You're lucky I'm pressed for time with another evil plot...



You should go do that then, drunkard.



As soon as Anastasia heads down the stairs we are sent straight into the cutscene zone.


Music: Rasputin ~ Mysterious Monk







Princess Romanov once more employs her keen sneaking skills and listens in on the clandestine conversation Rasputin and some fancy lad one might assume is affiliated with Sapientes Gladio.



Have the preparations been completed?
Yes, sir. All is well. The stalemate on the front line means practically no security in the city.
There is but a handful of local police and they've all been... gifted... an ample store of vodka to keep them warm for this harshest of winters.
The victory reception is upon us. You've got one chance to kill him. You must not miss.
Yes, sir.



Huh? I can't quite hear it all! Victory reception...? One chance...?
Killing someone...? That's probably not on the level either...
......



There's only one thing to do...

Anastasia rummages around and pulls out her huge camera.



Time for some espionage!



Victor...
Yes, sir?
Tell me, is that a child aiming a comically large camera at our clandestine assassination conspiracy meeting?

Extremely loud click and flash.



...I believe that is indeed the case, sir.
Hmm... quite...



Anastasia quickly hides the camera behind her back.



Who's that?!
Hmph.

Rasputin begins walking up to the princess.



Well, well. Princess Anastasia. You're alone in a most unseemly place.
<backs up> I-I suppose so, Lord Rasputin...
I was j-just taking a... a walk, yeah!
Unattended at 3:00 AM in the dead of winter?
The night air helps my umm... sinuses! Yeah. I've been all clogged up.
Oh, you should have come to me, my dear. I would have relieved you of the burdens of your life...



You're different from your sisters. You're very curious and brave. But children like that often die young!
Is that a threat?
No, just an observation on trends.
I heard. You're planning something for the victory reception!
Ohh... So you overheard me, did you?
.........



It's unfortunate to snuff out a young life, but you have nothing to fear, my dear. Your family will follow soon afterwards. <grins>


Music: Crisis



<eyes go wide> Wh-what did you say?!
Now *that* time what I said was a threat, dear child.

Rasputin turns away as his co-conspirator walks up to his side.



Shout as much as you like. No one will come to help you.
<gasps>
And even if we did, we could just be rid of them too. In for a penny, in for a pound, as they say.

Anastasia bolts back the way she came.



......
Kill her.
<nods>

The man starts running after Anastasia.



<whistles>



Heh.



Oh my gosh. Months of planning and following him and he just monologues his whole plot out. What the heck?!



Anastasia automatically runs down the block. But instead of going twenty feet further to Edgar's shop, where I have no doubt that Wilford Brimley ass looking motherfucker has a gun, she decides to duck into the same alley she hid in earlier for... some reason.



<panting> I think... I'm safe here...



Anastasia catches her breath just in time to notice...



...Oh, the hell birdman flying overhead. That's new. And probably not good for a little girl armed with only a mechanical egg...



Meanwhile, nearby...



...Hey, aren't you cold wearing that?
It's fine. It was cold where I grew up. I'm used to it.
Yeah, but like... we can get you, I dunno, a jacket or... maybe some pants?
I said it's fi—

The two stop and turn in the direction of Anastasia's screaming.



Really? We've been in this town for five minutes and there's already a crisis...?
Sounds about right.

Yuri bolts in the direction of the girl in danger.







...In hindsight, I probably should have caught my breath in Edgar's shop...







NANI?!



Tune in next time as our Rude Hero saves a Princess from a demon bird following the orders of Grigori Rasputin as Shadow Hearts: Covenant continues to make me type madman sentences like that and more!






Video: Episode 46 Highlight Reel (In which Rasputin attempts to have a child assassinated by a weird summoned birdman.)





Petrograd Streets Concept Art - Edgar's shop is a bit more opulent but mostly the same street that we got in-game.



Grigori Rasputin Official Art - This is the most blatantly evil as soon as he's introduced guy since Seymour Guado. He's even got them yaoi hands going on.