Part 62: Dream Weaver

There's a scene you can trigger by visiting Edgar's shop and talking to him. I think this scene may be completely skipable (or maybe the game forces you here if you try to go straight to Rasputin, I don't remember). Better safe than sorry.

And you, Princess! I didn't fold, even when Rasputin tortured me. I didn't tell him anything!
Thank you. It must've been awful!
I might be over the hill, but nothing could break my loyalty to the emperor! Are you going to try to take on Rasputin now? Well, you'd better have this, then. A lot of sweat went into making it! It's my very best work.

You got Panoramic Lens

The Panoramic Lens lets Anastasia photograph every enemy on the field at once instead of one at a time. Quite useful if you're using her a lot.

Now you should rest here for the night. I'll give you all some good food before you go off to fight!



Then, in the middle of the night...



Karin! Karin!




Karin wakes up in the middle of the church in Domremy.

Karin.


Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Nicolai wears a girdle?

Karin.

You said that already, jackass. What the hell is wrong with you? ...Wait, don't bother answering; I don't have that kind of time.



Nicolai.
I have come for you.
Me?
Please, come with me.



Karin, please. If you continue on with this foolishness, you and Yuri will end up being killed by Rasputin's assassins.

Why do you care, choir-boy?

Yuri will never lose!


Nicolai steps toward Karin, and she steps away from him. Kind of like how you'd slowly back away from someone having an argument with a street sign.

You believe in him?
Yes!
Ah. ...I can see you truly care for him.



...You're right. He won't lose. So I guess you don't need me then, eh?

Glad you figured it out so quickly. Can we leave now?



W-what do you mean?



I don't want to kill you. If you would only join me, we could achieve anything!

Oookay... I'd like to note this isn't coming completely out of left field. If you choose Karin in the part where everyone is captured, Veronica makes a comment at the end that Karin is exactly the type of girl Nicolai would fall for. There's also the fact that he's batshit insane; obsessive stalker isn't much of a reach for him, honestly.



What do you want? Fortune? Fame? Anything you desire!



Karin, my love... You could even bring back your dead family!
That's crazy.

It really is. NOTHING good ever comes from trying to raise the dead.



*sigh* But why...? Don't you understand how important you are? That's what I'm trying to explain to you!

You're not explaining anything. You're just being creepy.



What exactly has that BOY done for you, anyway?


Okay, Yuri's here now, too, I guess.

No matter how much you may love him, his heart belongs to another woman.
What are you saying?!



It's obvious; don't you see!? He'll never be able to give you what you need!
Don't!
Warmth!



Comfort!



Love!


Karin slowly sinks to the floor. Nicolai plays dirty.




Yuri sleeps on, completely oblivious to the pain he's inadvertently causing. Isn't he precious?


Nicolai kneels next to Karin, revealing that the front flaps on his jacket are made of cardboard.

Karin, come with me.



I'll give you the love you want.
Please stop!
Don't fight it! A woman needs love to be fulfilled.


He forcibly pulls her to her feet. Such a gentleman!

I need you! Let's be together. Karin, I love you.


Karin shoves Nicolai away and steps back.

But I love you!

Yeah, but you're squicky.


Enjoy your nightmares tonight, everyone. You're welcome.

Yes. I love you!


Nicolai just stands like that for a few seconds, then approaches Karin again.


He reaches out to Karin's face.

I feel sorry for you.
.........
You manipulate people's hearts, but what is it you really want?



.........
You think you can hide your true self behind your smooth talk and good looks!? Is that how you've been able to get to where you are now!?



Well, it won't work. You can't manipulate me!



But...can you truly say...you don't care for me at all?
Goodbye, Nicolai.



...You and I were never meant to be together.


Nicolai does not take rejection well.

*sigh* Oh... Karin... Karin!


He reaches for Karin's throat.


And then he fades away.


Karin is alone.


She collapses.

KAAARIIIIIIIIIN!!!


And then she wakes up in Edgar's shop, where she was sleeping all along.


Everyone else is still asleep. I think Lucia and Gepetto are going to have backaches in the morning. (Seriously, how can they sleep like that!?)

A dream...?


Karin rubs Yuri's hair. She's probably fantasizing about dragging him to a barber and getting him a haircut that doesn't look like it was done with one of those clippers that you attach to a vacuum cleaner.



A dream.




And the next morning, we're off to beat the evil out of Raspy. Since he's all evil, I don't think he'll survive the procedure.