Section 7: When an Idol Falls

I want you to summon the old me, back when everything seemed simple...

...back when I was invincible!

Is that...Bunyan!?

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My young, simpler self... My sinful self who chopped down this whole world.

I won't accept who I used to be. I can't!

...You want to fight me? Sure. I'll take on any challenger. Especially if you're fighting on nature's side!

Fujimaru! Promise me you won't interfere this time, no matter what!

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Senpai!?

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...!

Watch this, everyone. I'll show you all the ending I deserve.

Here I go!

(Huff...huff...)

Oh... I guess my time is over. You're the future me, right?

...That's right, past me. You were supposed to be invincible, but

But you're stronger. You always get back up and keep trying.

You have lots of good friends, too. From no on, this world will be in your hands.

...That's not true. I wasn't supposed to win. This isn't how it was supposed to end!

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W-well yeah, I did really give it my all since you cheered for me...but I didn't want things to turn out like this.

I mean...I'm the villain here.

Back when I was cultivating North America's land...I was also destroying the harmony of the natural world.

That cultivation was...an affront to all of nature.

...That's why I have to be punished. Villains are meant to be defeated in the end, right?

You... You mean you wanted to lose? Then, Plesio and I were actually supposed to win?

That's the ending I deserve.

Plesiosaurus, Mother Nature's vengeance incarnate, defeats the barbaric Paul Bunyan, who trampled all over it...

...But that alone isn't enough for a happy ending.

Why not!?

I might be barbaric, but so is Plesiosaurus. One barbarian beating another would just leave the world with another problem.

Humans are a part of this world, too. They shouldn't be wiped out.

This world will never be harmonious unless everyone in it has a place to call home.

That's why I needed you, Fujimaru.

So after Plesiosaurus defeated you, you wanted Senpai to defeat him, for humankind...

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You're a hero, Fujimaru. You're the perfect person to bring harmony to this world.

I was completely sure you would create the perfect happy ending to this final mythical movie.

But, then...I went and ruined it all. Me, the villain!

I really am the worst, aren't I? I knew what I was doing, and I still ruined the happy ending.

This is all wrong. I should have lost!

No. You're wrong about that.

You two...?

In the name of our master, Daikokuten, and on behalf of all of us mice, please allow me to say something.

Boss Bunyan, you are the very ero this world needs.

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Senpai!?

...Are you sure you don't mean "héros"?

O-oh, right. I guess the French word for "hero" does sound like "ero," doesn't' it...

U-um, yes, let's just say that's what we meant and move on...

At any rate, if there is any hope of resolving what's happened here, you'll need to understand how it began...

Please, let us tell you our story.

Over the course of this incident, many Heroic Spirits have been summoned here as Servants.

The first to arrive here was us, on behalf of Daikokuten.

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That's right. It was us.

I'm afraid we don't know exactly how that happened, either.

We found this place, North America, to be filled with magical energy and an abundance of natural beauty.

It was, and is, exactly what we need to thrive!

At first, we thought it was a lucky coincidence that brought us here.

So, you were drawn by the pool of magical energy that built up here naturally...and it summoned you by coincidence?

Well, I'll be damned... So then, does that mean you guys

Indeed. We are the ones who invited Boss Bunyan to this land.

When we came here, we had neither purpose nor duty. We did not even have a dependable boss.

But, even as Divided Spirit underling mice of our master, Daikokuten, the god of nation building, we had a direction we wished to pursue:

We wanted, if at all possible, to create our own world.

In the end, though, we're still only mice. All we know how to do is multiply and make rice balls.

So we decided to bring in a boss who can deal with myths and give us the ideas we could never come up with!

That's how Supervisor got summoned☆

By the way, Assassin and I just kind of fell out of her pocket when she showed up here, for some reason☆

The hell?

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It's a good thing I was here though, right? If you want to make a new myth, you gotta make a movie!

...That's what Rider told me when I met her, so I decided to let her handle all the filmmaking.

Meanwhile, since I'm the leader, I took on the role of producer. I gathered employés, raised funds...

...and tried to make moviesmyths, that would serve me.

I believed doing so would lead me to creating the greatest possible myth for everyone in this world.

And now, that wish has come true in a most magnificent fashion.

It has? But how? After all, I

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...Me? Carry this world?

You're a symbol, the epitome of what this landno, of what this whole nation has to offer, Boss Bunyan.

Losing one battle doesn't take that away from you.

In fact, if I may be honest, the fact that you thought it would shows incredible naivety on your part.

...Then what should I do?

Just keep doing what you've been doing. Trust yourself and stay on your path.

No matter how many setbacks you suffer, get back up and keep moving ahead. That's the only way to reach the future.

Embrace mistakes. Keep them close to your heart. Remember, you carry the hopes and dreams of so many.

As long as you keep living and creating in a way that's true to yourself...you're bound to create the greatest myth ever.

...Live true to myself...?

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...Yeah. You're right, Fujimaru. I did say that before we started filming this last myth.

A lot will happen, but all you need to do is face it the same way you always do. That way

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Y'know, I'm no movie expert, but isn't the bad guy usually the best part?

Who do you think you are, trying to take all that glory for yourself?

N-never mind that now!

...This isn't the ending I had in mind, but maybe...it still counts as a happy one?

There are no credits to roll on human history.

Right. Because we'll never let it come to an end!

Yeah!

...So, this mean we all live happily ever after?

Ugh! That sounds just awful!

Huh? Mike the alligator just jumped down from Bunyan's shoulder...

What is it, Mike? If you have something to say

Y'reckon we can resolve this all nice and calm-like? Ain't that a pretty picture. But too bad, girlie. I ain't much for pussyfootin' around.

I see somethin' I don't like, I fix it toot sweet. No fussin' around.

Wh-what's going on? Something's not right!

Wh-what's going on? Something's not right! Something's welling up inside me...

Heh! Don't bother tryin' to stop it!

Aaah!

Baaahahaha! Later, girlie!

Ain't never gonna be one mind an' body with you again, no sirree!

...What happened to me?

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It's true, Senpai. Bunyan has gone from a teenage look to something a little more innocent.

Boss Bunyan must have manifested not only with her own Spirit Origin, but a number of others as well...

Includin' me. But all that's over 'n' done with now!

Hey! You! The lady from out in the sticks!

You talking to me!?

Whoa, whoa, easy there. Juuust wanted to give a tip of my hat to yer clever little jab earlier.

You'll have to narrow it down. Everything I say is smart.

'Member them fightin' words before the brawl? Hit the nail on the head. You're a real, bona fide historical figure.

...What's your point?

Said it yerself. Ain't no comparison to that tall tale Bunyan. Yer straight from the real world.

Means I got the same braggin' rights as you.

Mike, stop! You'll only make things worse if you reveal who you are!

Shut it, girlie! You ain't the boss of me. I'm a real-life hero, an' you're just a figment of some hicks' imagination.

Wait a second... Are you Mike Fink?

That's right! I'm Mike Fink! The king of the keelboaters! The invincible snapping turtle!

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Huh? Who's that? Lamest nicknames I ever heard.

Ya wanna know who I am? Then I'll tell ya, and I'll do it my way.

...! Wait! Mike Fink is notorious for

First thing I'm fixin' to do is trim that yappy tongue o' yours down to a respectable size!

Whoop! It's hero o'clock!

Magical energy rising... Mike has grown to several times his normal size!

Get that camera rollin'! This here's the part where I give all y'all a proper, heroic whuppin'!

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Got it, Fujimaru!

Mike Fink! I'm the leader of my delightful companions, and I'm putting a stop to this before it goes any further!

Cock-a-doodle-doo! Ya got guts, girlie, gotta hand it to ya! But ya ain't got no business throwin' down with Mike Fink!

Here he comes!

Fine, I guess I can help you out. But you better appreciate this! Come on, rodents, you too! Get your tails over here!

Yes, Boss! We may not be much help, but we'll do the best we can!

Huh?

Huh?

Guh...

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Ha! 'Course it was. So what if you were the king of keelboaters? Even steamboats are obsolete now!

Well, well... Sun's settin' on my era, eh?

Here, Mike. Come back to my shoulder.

...You serious?

I can't just abandon you. You're still one of my employés.

Hmph! Well, thanks. I'm so damn grateful I'm 'bout to get the whole damn Massassip' overflowin' with my tears. Just don't you go regrettin' this!

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I think he got it all out of his system, thanks to you.

Okay! And that's a wrap on shooting this last myth. Now, all that's left is the finishing touches!

Oh, and make sure all the Casters look after Giga Plesiosaurus Ω's injuries, okay?

We will, Boss!

Did you just call him by his full name...?

Of course I did. I'm everyone's leader, remember?