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SomeColorMage2012-02-05 15:51:10

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The Vanished Lunar Whale

Ooh, Porom's Tale, we're getting closer to the final sequence of Tales, I can feel it. The problem is, this is Porom's Tale. We start in flashback mode, during FFIV's ending.

Elder: Well then, let us begin today's lesson.

Porom: Yes, sir.

Elder: Where is Palom?

Porom: Oh, not again...

She heads outside...

Music: Palom & Porom

...and finds Palom chatting up that little girl which thanks to the power of other flashbacks we now know is Leonora.

Palom: So there I was on the slopes of Mount Ordeals, facing down the firey hordes, when I cast an awesome Blizzard and...

Porom hits him.

Palom: Owww!

Porom: How many times are you going to be late to training!? The elder is really angry!

Back to the hall.

Elder: How many times must I tell you the same thing before it sinks into that thick skull of yours? You've a deal of growing up to do if you ever plan to be the sort of mage Tellah was. Two more hours of spell transcription for you!

Palom: Aw, not again...

Porom: You've only got yourself to blame, you know.

Palom: (Forget this! I've had enough of this stupid training!)

Out he goes...

Porom: Palom!

Elder: What a troublesome one...

Porom: Please allow me to go after him, Elder!

We follow.

Porom: (I have to drag him back before the elder gets any angrier...)

He's hiding near the shops.

Porom: Give it up, Palom! The elder wants to see you!

Palom: Tough for him! I'm not gonna start my training all over again! No way!

He runs off near the Inn, we chase after him and they spout the exact same lines. He runs to outside the Devil's Road.

Porom: You're better than this, Palom! I thought you wanted to be a great sage, like Tellah!

Palom: Hmph. Fine... You're right, you win.

Back to the hall again.

Elder: You look like you have something on your mind, boy.

Palom: Look, Elder, you may not be aware of this, but my skills have developed much more than you think.

Porom: Palom!

Elder: Is that so? There's nothing else here for you to learn. Is that what you are trying to say?

Palom: Come on, Elder. You know just as well as I do how powerful we really are.

Porom: Hold your tongue, Palom!

Palom: You think so, too, right, Porom? Without us, Cecil would've never made it anywhere near Mount Ordeals!

You're underestimating a sword that has a very good chance of inflicting KO and the run command. I bet the fire blocking off Mount Ordeals only did about 10 damage anyway.

Palom: We've grown so much since the journey we took. Haven't you realized that, Elder?

Elder: Hmm... I suppose you have a point.

Palom: I know I do! 'Cause I'm gonna become a sage! Just like old man Tellah!

Elder: Tellah, you say? Then you have a long way to go, Palom. Growth is not something gained on your own. It is the product of all the people you meet along the way... from Cecil and Tellah to everyone else around you.

Palom: I... I already know that, Elder! I don't need you to tell me.

Elder: It is a simple thing to say, but I forbid you from leaving Mysidia. It is still too soon for you.

Palom: Too soon? Well, when's it not gonna be too soon?

Elder: When you have truly understood the words I have spoken.

Palom: Can I go out and travel the world once I do?

Elder: Once you do... yes.

Palom: All riiight! I'll be outta here in a flash! Cecil and the others'd better be ready for me!

He leaves.

Porom: Palom! Are you sure you meant to tell him that, Elder?

Elder: Of course. The meetings and partings one experiences in life help to strengthen the self.

Porom: Yes, Elder.

Elder: And I'm sure you would like to hit the road yourself someday, Porom.

Porom: I... what?

Elder: It is written on your face, plain as day.

Porom: Oh...

Flash to the title screen (Man that was a long opening).

Several years later...

We're on a boat. Palom and Porom are still kids.

Palom: Ha haaah! Finally! I'm off on my quest to become a sage!

Porom: What made you want to visit Kaipo first?

Palom: 'Cause it's Tellah's homeland, of course. What did you think?

Porom: That's all?

Palom: What do you mean, "that's all"?

Porom: Don't you understand anything?

Palom: Huh?

Porom: The title of sage isn't something to be obtained. It's something that's granted to you.

Palom: Y-yeah, that's right. I knew that already.

Porom: Then, who do you think grants something like that to you?

Palom: The elder, right?

Porom: No. The people of the world do.

Palom: Wha...!?

Porom: Nobody's going to call you a sage just because you've learned black and white magic. You have to throw away your own wishes and ambitions, Palom, and learn to use your magic to benefit the whole world... not just yourself.

Hold on a second. How does this tie in to anything related to the reason for visiting Kaipo?

Palom: Pfft. That goes without saying, Porom.

Porom: Are you sure you know?

Palom: Well, that's the way Tellah was, wasn't it?

He killed himself in a futile revenge attempt that, while may have saved the world, at least until Zemus figured out plan B, was really poorly thought out with reasons not concerning anyone on the planet but himself. Not to mention when we first met him in FFIV, he is quite bluntly not giving a damn over what other people want but himself. I'm going to say no.

Porom: You're right. Tellah travelled around the world with the elder himself, long ago. Just like we're doing right now.

Palom: Wow! Really? I knew it!

Porom: Eventually, the elder returned to Mysidia and devoted his life to protecting the world through his magic. Tellah, meanwhile, continued his travels for years afterward, using his power for the good of all mankind.

Palom: How long did he do that for?

Porom: Oh, at least decades.

Palom: (Oof. That long?)

Porom: And at the end of the journey, he decided to settle down in Kaipo, where Anna was born.

Palom: Huh. I didn't know that.

Porom: Of course, it'll probably take longer for you than it did for him.

Palom: Well... I'll give it a shot. I'm in this for the long haul.

We land at the Kaipo Docks. Wait, Kaipo has a dock?

Palom: Whew! Finally!

Porom: What are you complaining about? You slept practically the entire way.

Palom: We have a long way to Kaipo, don't we? It's in the middle of this huge Damcyan Desert in front of us. So we should rest up while we can, y'know?

Porom: Convenient excuse...

Well, we'll actually go somewhere next time, as that was a really long opening. See you then.

Comments

HeroicJay Since: Dec, 1969
Feb 7th 2012 at 4:19:15 AM
Yeah, Porom's chapter is one of the more pointless. It's mostly flashbacks, playing it doesn't add any characters to your final lineup, Porom gets basically no character development compared with her brother, the parts that aren't flashbacks are covered in Edge and Kain's chapters pretty well (made worse by the fact that, in the Wii version, Kain's chapter was released BEFORE Porom's), and it has THE WORST challenge dungeon, hands down. Sad, I like the twins.
SomeColorMage Since: Dec, 1969
Feb 7th 2012 at 2:26:13 PM
Well, at least after this one, the tales are getting better, aside from one really idiotic thing in Edward's Tale
HeroicJay Since: Dec, 1969
Feb 7th 2012 at 2:59:55 PM
I can't think of the "idiotic thing" offhand, unless you refer to Harley being an awful PC. But it's been a while since I played.
SomeColorMage Since: Dec, 1969
Feb 7th 2012 at 3:59:44 PM
I'm referring to the several trips through the Underground Waterway. Damcyan has a hovercraft, why isn't Edward using it? It's stupid and is nothing but padding. But yeah, Harley is an Awful PC.
HeroicJay Since: Dec, 1969
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