Tales of Symphonia Part #23

Part 23: Update 21

Update 21

Like virtually every dungeon, we start by changing the Sorcerer's Ring's function.

This is the primary gimmick of this dungeon...

: Hmm? It looks like the path got wider.

: No, we got smaller!

: ...I guess so.

: Really?...You're right!

: But we can't do anything like this!

: Oh, I see! Now I can do this and that without anyone finding out it's me...

: Oh, brother. How can you be thinking about something like that?!

: But how do we get back to normal?

: Now that you mention it, this panel...

: I see. It appears that stepping on these panels will restore us to our normal size.

: Zelos! Didn't you say you knew this route well?

: Huh...that's weird. It was never closed when I came through maybe.

: Maybe it was closed along with the sealing of the city?

: Hmm, someone may have expected us to come this way.

: What?! Then we can't go this way?

: Let's try to think of a way to open this door.

: Yeah! I'm sure we'll manage something!

: Huh? What's this?

: Wow! That's a huge machine.

: Oh, that's a trash compactor.

: Trash compactor?

: Meltokio incombustible trash is thrown away through a hole called a dust chute and collected here. The collected trash is compacted by this machine into blocks. After it's converted into blocks for easy transport, they're taken to a large garbage processing facility.

: Hmm...

: I didn't know that either.

: I wonder if we can use it for something.

...and this is the secondary gimmick.

By the way, you can shrink to fit through holes in the walls to get treasure.

Now that we're done up there, we go down below the door across the block to unlock the door. One must wonder how this sewer actually operates. Does the maintenance staff have a Sorcerer's Ring of their own?

In the next screen there's a box we ride over to the red wheel.

It opens the door in the garbage disposal room

In there is another garbage disposal.

There's also a nice, windy catwalk. You have to push the block to the end, get small, walk over the spider web, get big, pull the block one square, get small, go back across the spider web, get big, and push it the rest of the way to turn corners.

This gets us access to the cage in the next room.

In the cage is a switch that extends this bridge.

If you get off it, the bridge retracts. So get big and open the door.

This new spiderweb appeared. I was going to go with some fan-fictiony explanation of why, but I dropped it when I realized that was stupid.

So we drop a block there and push it onto the switch.

This is what happens when you run into one of the little mouse wandering monsters while big. I have no damn idea what jellyfish (they look more like octopi with only 4 arms) are doing in a sewer.

And this happens if you run into them while small.

Another new spiderweb

That's it for blocks and spiderwebs.

We are now done with shitty puzzles for the next 15 minutes.

Creepy little girl sense tingling...
Youtube Backup.

: What's goin' on?

: I sense...danger.

: ...We've been waiting for you, travelers from Sylvarant.

: The Pope promised to lighten our sentences if we got rid of you. We've got nothing personal against you, but we need you to die!

I actually had trouble with this due to Zelos getting prison-bitched by those guys. Rather appropriate, considering.

: Ahh!

: Don't move...If you move, the Chosen dies. Understand?

: Whoa whoa whoa! You think you can get away with doing something like this to the Chosen?

: ...One who plots the destruction of the world...can no longer be deemed the Chosen.

: ...Oh...hey, Lloyd! If you abandon me here, I swear, I'll come back to haunt you!

: ...I just had a sudden, violent urge to abandon you.

: Phew!

: ...

: You're!...

: Damn, these guys are too strong...

: Looks like it's over for now.

: Thank goodness everyone's okay!

There's another Fake here, but I'm not going to kill it any time soon.

: Yeah. Now we can meet my friends.

: Where are your friends?

: At a place called the Elemental Research Laboratory. I learned my summoning arts there. It's also where Corrine was born.

: Okay, let's go to that Elemental Research Laboratory place, then.

: Kuchinawa! Why are you here?

: I'm on a top-secret mission. What about you?

: Ah, I'm in a bit of trouble, actually. My friends and I need to get across the bridge.

: Friends? Hmm, they're not from Mizuho.

: They're from Sylvarant. Lloyd, and everyone! This is a friend from Mizuho. His name's Kuchinawa.

: Sheena and I grew up together. Pleased to meet you.

: Pleased to meet you.

: I'll go talk to the people in the laboratory.

: Let's go along and listen, too.

: What's wrong?

: Listen to this! They want us to cross the sea in an Elemental Cargo!

: An elemen what?

: Elemental Cargo, typically called EC. It's a compact transport vehicle controlled by Exspheres. Its maximum load weight is 1400kg and maximum speed is more than three times faster than an upgraded Exsphere-equipped carriage. They are currently used primarily by shipping companies for delivery.

: Hey! What are we, packages?!

: The Elemental Cargo absorbs mana from the atmosphere and ejects it into the air, producing a counter-reaction that propels it forward. So if we use Undine for that, we get an EC that can surf.

: S...surf...

: Isn't there any other way?

: The bridge is closed. You don't have the necessary identification to use an ocean liner. And on top of that, there are two half-elves with you.

: ...Not that again.

: That's the kind of world Tethe'alla is. ...We, too, hardly ever get to leave this building.

: I wonder why everyone can't get along...

: Ah, well, there's no point in getting all gloomy. So will you make that modified EC for us?

: If you'll wait a day, we'll have it ready.

: Okay. Well, then, let's go rest at my mansion.

: The Pope's minions aren't going to be waiting for us there, right?

: We're going to have to spend the night in this city. So it doesn't matter where we are, it'll still be dangerous.

: Yeah. I guess you're right.

: My mansion's in the nobles' quarter to the right of Castle Tethe'alla. It's a conspicuously big building, so you can't miss it.

Skit #018: Corrine in Danger

: Yes. In order to use mana as energy, it's most efficient to study the Summon Spirits themselves.

: Fascinating. In what way are these entities known as Summon Spirits created, and what effect do they have on the world?...

: I oppose Summon Spirit research!

: Oh, why?

: I just do!

: Corrine suffered painful experiences during the experimental stage.

: Oh, that's right, Corrine is a man-made Summon Spirit. Fascinating!...

: Uh oh...

: Run for it!

: Come back here this instant!

: Yo, I'm back. Anything happen while I was gone?

: I was instructed by the Pope and an emissary of His Majesty Tethe'alla the 18th to report as soon as the Chosen returned.

: You can just ignore that.

: Yes, sir. Ahh...and who is the guest with the two swords?

: My bud. Just make yourselves at home.

: If there is anything you need, Sir Bud, please speak to me.

: ...My name's not "Bud"!
Let's talk to our party members randomly for no reason.

: Mmmm, it smells nice...

: Wh...what? Is it weird for me to be looking at flowers?

: He said that this fireplace ignites by "one-touch." What's "one-touch"?
I have no dang idea either.

: Mylene Wilder? It seems this is a portrait of Zelos' mother.

: Presea I...I...I...I...I...

: ...

: You're p...p...pretty...

: P...p...pretty? What is that?

: I...I...I'm...I'm complimenting you!

: ...I see. Then you are p...p...pretty, too.

: These presents are tributes from my hunnies. Oh, it's so hard being popular!

: Will you be retiring to bed now?

: Yes.

: Okay then, let's go to the Elemental Research Laboratory.

: Colette, what's wrong?

: Are you all right?

: Heheh, sorry.

: That's... the same. Oh dear.

: Where's the EC?

: Kuchinawa carried it away already.

: Kuchinawa got it?

: What? I thought Kuchinawa had talked to you about it, but I guess he didn't. Go to the artificial beach on the right side of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. Kuchinawa should be waiting there. Also, take this with you.

: What's this?

: What do you mean, what's this? It's a wing pack. You store the EC in it.

: In this?! Is the Elemental Cargo that small?!

: Ah, I see. They don't have wing packs in Sylvarant. Man, you guys are a bunch of country folks!

: Gee, sorry!

: Hahah, don't get mad, now. I'll show you how to use it later. Come on, let's get going.

: Wait just a second. Come on out, Corrine! We're going to be gone for a while. Say good-bye to everyone. ...It's all right, they aren't going to do any more weird experiments on you.

: Corrine, how have you been? Look after Sheena for us.