Tail Tale plot summary

&lt;あの雲の向こう&gt; Beyond the Clouds
いつものように夕飯の魚を捕った帰り、俺は、外世界がよく見える丘に立ち寄った. On the way home from catching a fish for dinner, as usual, I approached a hill to get a good look at the outer world.

俺の夢は大陸の下に広がる雲の向こうにあるという新しい世界に行くことだ. My dream is to go to a new world, said to lie beyond the sprawling clouds at the edge of our world.

俺の父さんは飛行機と外世界の研究をしていて、表向きはそれを禁じている法王庁によって逮捕処分されたことになっているけれど事実は外世界の存在を確立し、飛行機で旅立っていったんだ. My father studied airplanes and the world beyond, which was prohibited by the church, and officially he had been arrested for it. But the truth is he set out in his plane to establish the existence of the world beyond.

父さんの残した研究誌や造りかけの飛行機を見つけたことで、俺の夢は現実的になる. When I found the research papers my father left behind and a half-built airplane, my dream was suddenly in reach.

俺は流れる雲を見ながら飛行機で飛び立つ自分を夢想した. I began envisioning myself flying up into the drifting clouds.

….

&lt;父親の背中&gt; Father's Footsteps
弟のナップは病気で、いつもベッドで寝ている. My younger brother Napp would always be resting in bed because of his illness.

ナップはいつも俺の夢をくだらないと言う. ナップは家族を放って、外世界を目指した父さんを憎んでいる. He never approved of my dream. Napp hates our father, who broke with his family, and pursued his dream of traveling to the outer world.

確かに父さんの所為で、俺やナップは苦労し母さんは死んでしまったかも知れない. It's true that because of my father, me and Napp did go through harsh times and maybe it’s also the reason mother passed away.

けれど、父さんのおかげで俺は夢を叶えることができるかもしれないのだ. But it's thanks to our father that I might have my dream fulfilled.

ナップには悪いけれど、俺は父さんの残した飛行機を完成させ、あの雲の向こうの世界を確かめるんだ. Napp may not like it, but I'm going to finish building the airplane my father left behind and set out for the world beyond the clouds.

….

&lt;再会&gt; Reunion
幼馴染みのザイルが、法王庁の士官となってバストークに帰ってきた. 思い出話に花を咲かせながら、ザイルは俺が未だに外世界に行きたいという夢を持っていることを知ると、止めた方がいいと諫めるのだった. My childhood friend, Zile, is becoming an officer of the church and returning to Bastok. While we were livelily reminiscing, Zile learned that I still dreamed of going to the outer world, and he tried to persuade me that it would be better to give up.

士官となったザイルは、俺が法を犯しているとなれば逮捕しなければならないという. He told me that after he became an officer, if I violated the law, he would have no choice but to arrest me.

研究中に逮捕された俺の父さんのようになって欲しくない（ザイルは父さんが外世界に飛び出たことを知らない）と言うのだった. He told me he didn't want to see me be arrested in the middle of researching like my father. (Zile didn't know that my dad flew to the outer world.)

ザイルの気持ちは嬉しかったけれど、俺は複雑な気持ちで、彼の背中を見送るのだった. Even though I was glad that Zile cared about me, it was with mixed feelings that I watched him leave.

….

&lt;縞尻尾、ふわふわ尻尾&gt; Striped Tail, Fluffy Tail
バストークの人間と、ザパトの人間は理由もハッキリしないようなくだらない争いを続けている. For reasons that are unclear, the people of Zapat and Bastok continue to share a pointless feud.

友達とミデルの酒場で飲んでいると、ザパトの連中と出会い、ケンカになった. My friends and I were drinking at Midel's tavern when we ran into some guys from Zapat, and a fight broke out.

くだらない争いだ. 雲の向こうにある世界はそんなくだらない争いのない、素晴らしい世界であって欲しい. It's a pointless argument. I wanted to go to the wonderful world beyond the clouds. Somewhere where they don't have these pointless fights.

俺は、ケンカを傍観しながら、そんなことを思った. That's what I was thinking, as I sat there and watched the fight.

….

&lt;少女&gt; The Girl
ナップの薬草を採りに行った先で、俺はこの辺りでは見かけない女の子に出会った. After picking the herbs for Napp's medicine, I met a girl I hadn't seen before.

結構可愛い子だけど、声をかけようかどうしようか・・・. She was pretty cute, but I wasn't sure if I should speak up.

どうしようか？ What should I do?

●声をかける. Speak up.

○声はかけない. Keep quiet.

….

&lt;胸の高鳴り&gt; An Excited Heart
花畑で出会った女の子に、俺は声をかけることにした. I called out to the girl I met in the field of flowers.

けれど、返事が返ってくる様子はなさそうだ. But it didn't look like she was going to respond.

….

&lt;困惑&gt; Embarrassed
花畑で出会った女の子. 気になって声でもかけようかと思ったけれど、あまりそういうことはしない方がいいと思い、つい、ちらちらと見てしまった. The girl I met in the field of flowers. I wanted to talk to her, but I thought it would be best to leave things be, and just occasionally glance over at her.

女の子は何をするわけでもなく、アモレアを摘んだままそこに立っていた. She wasn't doing anything in particular, just standing there picking Amorea.

….

&lt;彼方&gt; In the Distance
女の子は、結局俺と言葉を交わすことなく、ザパトの村に続く茂みの中へ消えていった. In the end, without having exchanged any words with me, she disappeared into the bushes in the direction of the Zapat village.

ここへくれば、また会えるのだろうかなんて不純なことを考えながら、家路についたのだった. ”If I come here again, I wonder if I'll see her again..” I thought to myself as I headed home.

….

&lt;出会い&gt; The Meeting
川でぼーっとしていると、あの時の女の子に出会った. I was lounging around at the river, when I ran into the girl I saw in the flowers.

驚いた俺は思わず川の中に落ちてしまい、大変なことになる. I was so surprised, I fell into the river. I was in trouble since I can't swim.

気がつくと、目の前にはあの女の子がいた. どうも俺は彼女に助けてもらったらしい. I realized that right in front of me was that girl. It seemed that she was offering me help.

女の子の名前は、ラン. それ以外は言いたくないらしく、訊くことはできなかったけれど、どうにか友達になることができた. The girls name was Ran. She wouldn't tell me anything else, and she wouldn't answer my questions. In spite of that, somehow we were able to become friends.

ここへ来る楽しみが一つ増えたってものだ. Now I have one more reason to enjoy coming here!

….

&lt;秘密&gt; A Secret
久しぶりにランに会うことができた. けれど、　久しぶりにランに会うことができた. けれど、ランは自分のことだけはまるで話してくれなかった. I've been able to meet with Ran for a long time. But even so, she would never talk about herself.

言いたくないのか、ただ言わないだけなのかわからないけれど、俺がランについて知ってることは、せいぜい名前くらいだ. Whether she couldn't talk about it or just wouldn't talk about it, I don't know, but I never knew anything more than her name.

ランって子はほんと謎だらけだ. That Ran is a real mystery.

….

&lt;月に浮かぶ顔&gt; Face in the Moon
俺達の住んでいる世界には３つの月がある. 普段は１つか、２つの月が浮かんでいるのだけど　月に１度、３つ揃うときがある. The world we live in has 3 moons. Usually only one or two can be seen, but at one day in each month, all three come together.

俺達は、その３つの月の日には、発情期になり、『そういう気持ち』になってしまうのだ. We go into heat when the third moon comes out, and we are completely overcome by “that feeling”.

ちょうど、ナップの薬が切れていて、採りに行かなければならない今日、もし、あそこで、ランに出会ってしまったら 俺は果たして、自分を抑えることができるだろうか・・・. On that day off all days, we ran out off Napp’s medicine and I had no choice but to go gathering herbs, but should I run into Ran, I don’t know if I’d be able to control myself...

どうしよう・・・. What to do...

●不安なので薬はあきらめる. Give up on picking herbs.

○薬は採りに行く Go picking herbs.

….

&lt;葛藤&gt; Complications
やはり、ランに会って自分を抑える自信がなかった俺は、結局、ナップの薬を採りに行くのをやめてしまった. I didn't think I'd be able to control myself after all, and decided not to pick the herbs for Napp's medicine.

ただ、そのおかげで、晩にナップは発作を起こし、苦しんでしまった. But because of that, Napp had an uncomfortable, fitful night.

ナップの発作は軽かったからよかったけれど、さすがに今回の出来事は少し悔やまれるものだった. Luckily Napp's coughing fits were mild, though I should have gone after all.

ちょっと反省I feel kind of bad about this.

….

&lt;可憐&gt; Lovely
浮島の花畑には　浮島の花畑には、ランがいた. ランはこの時期特有の女の子の匂いをさせながら、昼間見るランとは違う女の表情を見せる Ran was there, on a floating island of flowers. She had the scent of a girl in heat, and she looked like a completely different girl than the Ran I had seen in the daytime.

俺は、ランを見ても、必死で我慢してるっていうのに、どうもランは俺を誘ってるのかの様に振る舞っている. When I saw her, I desperately tried to control myself. Ran was dancing and waving at me to come closer.

俺の理性、ランの真意はいかに！My reasoning, and Ran's intentions, went out the window.

….

&lt;気持ち&gt; This Feeling
ランは、俺を誘うように服を脱ぎ、俺に迫ってきた. 俺はランの行動にどぎまぎしながらも抗いきれずにその行為に身を委ねる. Ran took her cloth off in an inviting way and approached me. While I was being confused by Ran's movement, my inhibitions failed and I surrendered my body to her.

ランはすでに経験済みで、まさかこんなことをするとは思ってもみなかった. “This is crazy,” I thought, as Ran started skillfully working me with her tongue.

それは俺が今まで経験した中では一番すごくて、気持ちのいいものだった. It was the most amazing sensation I've ever experienced.

ランがしたくて、俺がしたいのなら結ばれることに何のためらいがあるのだろう. Neither one of us resisted as we intertwined our bodies.

発情期の夜、俺とランはお互いのことをほとんど知らないまま、結ばれた. On our race’s special night, Ran and I, who barely knew each other, became one.

けれど、そこには心地よさがあり、俺はますますランのことが気になるようになっていた. But, the upside of this experience was that I began to care more and more for Ran.

….

&lt;ライズストーム&gt; Stormrise
俺は、造りかけの飛行機の前に立った. I stood in front of the half built plane.

色々と、問題点は山積みだけれど、まだ誰も見たことのない世界へ飛び立って行った父さんの名に恥じないような飛行機を造って、俺も飛び出すんだ. あの雲の向こうへ. It may have a lot of problems, but I will shamelessly build this plane in the name of my father. He flew to a world that no one has seen, and someday I too will fly to the far side of the clouds.

….

&lt;逃走&gt; Escape
ある日、いつものように魚を釣った帰り、突然ランが現れて、『匿ってほしい』というのだった. One day, while I was returning from fishing, like always, suddenly Ran showed up and and said she needed to hide.

何がなにやらわからないまま、追われているランを見捨てておけない俺は、彼女を茂みに隠し、追っ手にウソをついて撒くことに成功する. Not knowing what was going on, and not wanting to abandon her, I hid her in a thicket and successfully fooled the people chasing her.

その日、うちにランを連れて帰るが、何者かわからないランを匿うことにナップが反対. That day, I brought Ran home with me, but Napp objected to hiding someone whom we didn't really know.

確かに、あの状況では、ランが犯罪者である可能性もない訳ではないが、本人が黙っている以上、どうするのがよいのか・・・. It's true, under these circumstances, I couldn't ignore the possibility that she's a criminal, and the fact that she wouldn’t talk didn't help either. What's the best thing to do...

どうしよう. What should I do?

●ランに自首を勧める. Persuade Ran to turn herself in.

○どうにかナップを説得する. Somehow convince Napp.

….

&lt;思惑&gt; Speculation
やはり、ランは法王庁に身を寄せた方がいいと思った俺は、彼女にミデルに行くように勧めた. At first I thought I should persuade Ran that it would be best if she went back to Midel and turned herself into the church.

けれど、ランのことを思うと、ほとぼりが冷めるまでうちにいた方がいいといいかなとも思うのだった. But when I thought about it, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not to let her go back before things calmed down, and until then she could stay here.

最初はランをうちで匿うことを反対していたナップだったが、やはり本心は俺と同じらしく結局、しばらくランにはうちで暮らしてもらうことにしたのだった. At first, Napp objected to hiding Ran here, but deep down he felt the same way I did after all, and we decided to let Ran live in our house for a while.

….

&lt;笑顔&gt; A Happy Face
ナップを無理に説得してでも、ランを匿ってあげたい. 法王庁なんかに任せてはいられない. It's unreasonable to persuade Napp, but I still want to give Ran somewhere to hide. I won't just hand her over to the church.

どうにかナップを説得することができてしばらくの間、ランはうちに住むことになった. Somehow I managed to convince Napp after a while to let Ran live with us.

実は、ナップもランを追い出したかった訳ではなく、ランと一緒に暮らせるのがまんざらではないようだった. Truthfully, Napp didn't want to tell her to leave either. Living together with her didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

もちろん、ランを守ってやれるという嬉しさもあるけれど、一つ屋根の下で暮らせるというのは、なんとも言えないな. Of course he'd be happy to protect her too, but even though he won't say so, he'd enjoy sharing the house with her.

….

&lt;手料理&gt; Home Cooking
うちで暮らすことになったランが、その夜のご飯を作ってくれた. Ran, who's begun living with us, decided to make dinner tonight.

ランの作る料理はめちゃめちゃうまくて、俺もナップもつい何度もお代わりをしてしまった. Ran’s cooking was so good, me and Napp just couldn’t get enough of it.

なんだか、ちょっと幸せを感じてしまった俺だった. I don't know why, but I was feeling happy at that time.

….

&lt;過去&gt; The past
ランが初めてうちに泊まった夜、夜中に突然悪夢にうなされて叫び声をあげた. The first night Ran started living here, she woke up screaming in middle of the night from a nightmare.

怯えるランをなだめ、追われていた訳を聞くことにする. I calmed her down, and listened to her talk about why she was being chased.

ランはザパトの資産家バーナーの奴隷になっており、慰み物にされていたというのだ. Ran told me about how she had become a slave, a mere plaything, to a nobleman named Banner of Zapat.

うっかりバーナーに怪我を負わせてしまったランは、逃げだし、追いかけられることになったのだという. When she accidentally injured Banner, she ran away, and they chased after her.

次の日、予想外にランは明るい笑顔を見せていたが、彼女の心の中のしこりは取れてないように思えた. The next day, contrary to what I expected, Ran had a bright smile on her face, but it was obvious that the scar on her heart was still there.

….

&lt;夢&gt; Dreams
やっぱり、ナップは俺の飛行機造りに関しては、あまり協力してくれない. As I thought, Napp wasn't going to help me build the plane.

憎んでいる父さんの後を俺が追いかけているのが気に入らないのだろうけど. He'll probably never approve of me following in the footsteps of the father he hated.

俺が外の世界に行こうとしていることを聞いてしまったランは、興味深そうに俺にそのことを尋ねてきた. Ran heard that I was planning to go to the outside world, and started asking me about it with great interested.

俺の夢の話をすると、ランは楽しそうに聞いてくれたが、反対にランに夢の話を聞くと特にないという返事が返ってきた. Ran enjoyed asking me about my dreams, but when I asked her to tell me about hers, she answered that she didn’t really have any.

ランは、今までの人生の中で、夢や希望を失っているようだった. そしてその寂しさを隠すように明るく振る舞っていたのだ. Until now in her life, Ran had been deprived of her hopes and dreams. But even so she had to hide her loneliness and put on a happy face.

俺はどうにかして、ランに本当の笑顔をもたらしてあげたいと思ったけれど、どうすればよいのか、良い考えは浮かんでこなかったOne way or another, I was going to find a way to give Ran a true smile, but how... the answer to that wouldn't come to me. ….

&lt;弟&gt; Brother
いつのまにか、ランがナップと仲良くなっていた. ま、ランは家を出れないから、ナップの部屋で話をしているうちに仲良くなったんだろうけど. Somewhere along the line, Ran became good friends with Napp. Well, since Ran couldn’t leave our house, she probably started talking with Napp in his room and got to know him.

喜ばしいことだとは思うけれど、ちょっとだけ悔しいような気もする今日この頃. I thought this was great news, but around this time I started to feel a little frustrated.

….

&lt;決別&gt; Parting ways
ランがバーナーに　ランがバーナーにさらわれてしまった. 俺は決死の思いで、屋敷に忍び込み、ランを助け出そうとした. Ran was kidnapped by Banner. Prepared for the worst I sneaked into Banners estate to rescue her.

自分はバーナーから逃げられない、夢も希望もないと思っているラン. I couldn't stop thinking about Ran, unable to escape from Banner, her hopes and dreams crushed.

俺は彼女に、自分の力で道を切り開くように手を差し伸べる. I would have to be the one to reach out and pull her out of the darkness.

自分の力で生きていくことを決めたランと俺は、バーナー達に追いつめられるが、俺の機転により、脱出に成功. Even though we were cornered, Ran was determined to live for herself, and not for Banner's amusement. With some quick thinking on my part, we were able to escape.

しかも、バーナーに俺もランも死んだと思わせることに成功し、ランは自由を手に入れることができたのだ. Furthermore, we were successful in convincing Banner that we had died, and so Ran was able to gain her freedom.

ようやく、ランの顔に本当の笑顔が戻ってきたのだ. With time, Ran would finally be able to be truly happy.

….

&lt;解放&gt; Liberation
月が綺麗に空に昇っていた夜、俺とランは散歩に出かけた. As the moon rose into the clear night sky, Ran and I went out for a walk.

ランはこれからは自分のことは自分の力で切り開くといい、過去を隠していた尻尾の布をほどくのだった. Ran decided that from now on, she would become strong enough to deal with her past, and took off the cloth covering her tail.

どちらともなく、キスをするランと俺. お互いの大切な存在をいとおしむように唇を重ねるのだった. But all of that didn't matter to us as we kissed. As we pressed our lips together we showed each other our love and affection.

二人が初めて出会った花畑で結ばれる. アモレアの花の香りの中で互いの身体を貪り合う. In the flower fields where we first met, we once again intertwined. Amidst the scent of the Amorea, we indulged in each others body.

互いの気持ちを確かめ合った二人. 月夜を見上げながら、ランは、自分も飛行機に乗って雲の向こうに行きたいと言うのだった. We professed our love for each other, and as we gazed up at the moonlit sky, Ran told me she too wanted to fly beyond those clouds.

ランと一緒に新しい世界に向けて飛び立つことができる. きっと素敵な飛行になる. I could fly to a new world with Ran. It would certainly be a wonderful trip.

俺は、飛行機に乗った２人を夢想しながらランを抱き寄せた. I held Ran close, while envisioning us getting on the plane.

….

&lt;真実&gt; Truth
飛行機は完成したが、今のままでは空を飛ぶことはできない. I finished the airplane, but as things are now I wouldn't be able to fly it.

どうすればいいかわからないまま日は過ぎていき、ライズストームの日は刻一刻と迫っていた. I didn't know what to do, and the day of the Stormrise was getting closer by the minute.

そんな折り、ザイルに出会う. ザイルは法王庁の裏側を知り、ひどく困惑していた. At that time, I ran into Zile. He was very troubled since he had learned of the true machinations of the church.

そして、ザイルから父さんについて聞かされた話は、俺やナップが知っているものではなかった. 父さんは離陸後、法王庁が秘密裏に持っている飛行機によって撃墜されたというのだ. And, the story I head from Zile about my father wasn't the one Napp and I knew. He said that in fact after father had taken off, he had been shot down by a plane that the church had, unbeknownst to anyone.

それを知ったナップは、ショックを受け、酷い発作を起こし、寝込んでしまう. 俺は、ナップのことを思うと、飛行機なんて言っていられず、夢をあきらめることにする. When Napp heard this, the shock caused triggered a fit of coughing, and he had to lie down. For Napp's sake, I decided to give up on my dream, not saying a word about the airplane.

しかし、小さな頃から、追いかけてきた夢がそうそうあきらめきれる訳がなかった. But still, there was no way I could give up on the dream I've been chasing after ever since I was little.

….

&lt;眠り&gt; Sleep
ナップは、病気がたたって死んでしまった. 俺に飛行機を完成させるための設計図を託して. Napp gave me the blueprints needed to complete the plane. Sadly, his illness had taken its toll, and he passed away.

空を飛び、父さんの跡を追いかけることはナップの夢でもあった. 叶わぬ夢を俺に預けることで、ナップは自分の夢を叶えるのだ. "Flying in the sky, following in father's footsteps, this was Napp's dream as well. By leaving me his unfulfilled dream, I would be able to make all our dreams come true.

そして、飛行機は完成に向けてまた一歩近づき、ライズストームの日もまた近づいているのだった. And so as the plane moved a step closer to completion, so too did the day of the Stormrise.

….

&lt;大切なもの&gt; What's important
旅立ちの日. 俺は、ランも誘ったけれど、ランはここに残ると言った.

ランの思い出がたくさん残っている俺達の家. そして、ランの愛したナップが眠る土地を捨ててはいけないのだと言った. The day of liftoff. I invited Ran to come too, but she said she would remain here. She couldn't leave behind our house and all the memories there, and the ground that had become Napp's resting place, whom she loved dearly.

俺は、家やナップを彼女に託し、自分の夢を叶えるために、一人旅立つのだった. Leaving the house and Napp to her, I set out by myself to fulfill my own dreams.

どんな困難が待ち受けていようとも信じた道を進もうと決めたのだった. I had decided to move forward on the path that I believed in, no matter what troubles awaited me.

….

&lt;信じるもの&gt; What I believe
ついにライズストームの日がやってきた. 俺達の夢を叶える日がやってきたのだ. At last, they day of the Stormrise came. The day to fulfill our dreams came.

ライズストームを目前にザイルが俺を逮捕すると言ってきた. しかし、それは自分の信じる道をすすむことの大切さを確かめるためだったのだ. With the Stormrise close at hand, Zile came, saying he was here to arrest me. But in fact it was just to see for himself the importance of following your own path.

トラブルに巻き込まれながらも、ライズストームの中に入っていく飛行機. In a pandemonium of wind and noise, we sailed off into the Stormrise.

空を飛ぶことに成功した俺とランはその真ん中で、唇を重ねるのだった. Our flight was a success, and Ran and I kissed there, high above an ocean of clouds.