20

The outbreak of mushrooms converted an entire tract of the desolate wasteland into a vibrant forest of Rust-Eaters. One particularly large specimen marked the spot where Tetsujin fell, humming with an ever-so-gentle glow as it scattered radiant spores. All who gazed upon it were struck dumb by the otherworldly sight.

“…It’s so beautiful…,” said Pawoo, standing frozen amid the showering spores. Removing her skullcap, she tossed it aside, letting her gorgeous long black hair fall to the ground.

We won. We actually won.

The blazing fortress of giant mushrooms seared its image into her pupils, causing her eyelids to quiver.

“Lass, you’re okay!”

Actagawa scuttled over in a cloud of sand and skidded to a halt. Jabi clambered down from the saddle and rushed to her side, tripping over his own feet in excitement.

“You did well to survive that!” he said. “You’re quite an impressive young lady!”

“I’m glad you’re safe, too, Jabi,” replied Pawoo.

“…Wait, your face!” he said, pointing at her in shock.

Pawoo brought her hand to her face. The Rust that had spread halfway across it was completely gone, eaten away by the tumbling spores and replaced with pristine porcelain-white skin.

“Ah…!”

“What a pretty young thing,” spoke Jabi with a sigh, enraptured by the sight. “You shouldn’t be out here, swinging a staff.”

“It’s all thanks to your son,” said Pawoo, looking back over at the mushroom forest. “He saved me… He saved you. Right at the very end…he saved everyone. All of humanity…”

Suddenly, Jabi flew into a panic. “Ah! That damn fool! Don’t tell me he’s kicked the bucket already! Your brother, too!”

Pawoo chuckled softly and pointed far out into the sky, at the very peak of the mushroom fortress. Jabi followed her finger up to the cap of the tallest mushroom, scraping the clouds, and saw two minuscule human figures looking back down at them.

“Ah! It’s Bisco! Biscooo! He’s alive, the silly boy! That’s the second time today he’s made me think he died!” Jabi jumped for joy, clapping his hands. “No, wait. How are they gonna get down? We need to help them!”

Jabi leaped toward Actagawa, but Pawoo caught him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him near. He looked up at her with surprise and confusion, but she simply placed her finger mischievously to her lips.

“Wait a little while longer, please. If I let you interrupt them now, I doubt my brother will ever speak to me again.”

“Wh-what on earth are you blabbering about?”

“I’m his sister. I understand.”

Pawoo smiled softly and looked back up toward the sky. Their two cloaks fluttered in the wind, and the sun’s light cast two long shadows across the mushroom forest.

“…We only set out to save two people…,” said Milo, his blue hair looking as if it were about to dissolve into the sky itself. “…and look what happened. With all these Rust-Eaters, we could save not only all of Imihama, but the whole of Japan!”

“Well, go big or go home, that’s what I say.”

“That’s because you lack the finesse to go small.”

“I do not! I’m a man of many talents.”

“They say a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none.”

“Is that anything to say to the man who saved Japan? Huh?”

“Look, Bisco! Everyone’s waving at us!”

Cheers rang out from the ground below as the surviving Vigilante Corps members gathered to sing praise to their heroes. They no longer feared the mushrooms. Instead, their faces were filled with victorious smiles.

Bisco walked up beside Milo, but his eyes had not fully recovered from Kurokawa’s attack, and he was unable to make out anything more than the general ambience.

“Argh. I can’t see a thing. What else is happening down there?”

“Um… All the vigilantes have gathered around Pawoo and are tossing her into the air! Ah-ha-ha! Tirol’s trying to load all the Rust-Eaters onto a truck! Actagawa… He’s chasing one of the iguanas around, and Jabi’s…”

Bisco sat down beside Milo atop the cap of the giant mushroom and closed his eyes, listening. Milo spoke on and on, with a gentle expression and joy in his voice.

“…Well? What’s the old man doing?”

“Bisco.”

“Hmm?”

Milo suddenly thrust his head into Bisco’s chest, throwing him off-balance. He opened his mouth to protest, but then he felt something warm and wet against his skin.

“…Your heartbeat. You really are alive…”

“…I told you, didn’t I? When we die, we die together.”

“Don’t… Don’t ever leave me behind again, Bisco…!”

The tears he had been holding back finally spilled forth, soaking into Bisco’s clothes. Milo’s sobs became louder and louder, until he was bawling in Bisco’s arms like a baby. Bisco searched for something to say, eventually realizing he really did lack finesse, and opted to stay silent. He simply sat there as Milo cried, and a strong gust of wind tousled his scarlet hair. Eventually, the light that beamed down on them took on an orange hue, and the sun sank down below the distant horizon.