The mountain giant's hands ripped right through the governor's cliffside mansion and tore its roof off.

From the banquet hall, the partygoers could see the mountain giant peering in, one eye aglow.

"Holy frijoles!" Puss called out.

"You awoke the Sleeping Giant of Del Mar!" shrieked someone in the crowd.

Angry, the giant collected screaming captives in his giant wooden fanny-pack. He reached in and scooped up a handful of guards with one simple swipe.

Puss leapt into action, ready to save his partygoers.

He ran over the tables and across the mansion, all the while keeping his stride with the giant.

As people ran for cover, the giant tore off another portion of the roof. The giant reached in to grab a boy riding a cow.

"Wee! I'm flying!" the boy said.

"No, you are not flying," Puss called back.

(Flying is NOT when a mountain giant picks you up, fun fact.)

Then, in his best hero voice, Puss bellowed, "I will save you!" But before Puss could save the boy riding his cow, the governor got snatched up, too.

"Save me, too!" the governor bellowed.

Puss shrugged and said, "If it's convenient."
Then, without skipping a beat, the band's guitarist launched Puss up to the giant by pulling back the strings on his guitar like a bow.

Puss rocketed skyward and soared through the air, ready for action with his sword drawn.

buildings, multiple apartments, and, finally, a kitchen where a man sat enjoying a glass of leche.

Puss gently took his cup.

"Gracias," he said.

He chugged the leche. Meow. Puss then slammed the empty glass back on the table.

Any damage he had sustained during the giant attack was now cured.

He was fully revived! Puss leapt back into the thick of the fight.

"Fear me, if you dare!" Puss called.

Puss jumped out onto the rooftops, running at full speed. He dashed toward the bell tower at the center of town.

The mountain giant may have had a wounded fin-ger, but he could still fight.

The giant ripped the bell right out of the tower and swung it around like a wrecking ball.

Puss leapt from roof to roof, avoiding the bell. The bell clanged and chimed as it smashed through the village.

Finally, the bell smashed right beside Puss in a narrow miss. Puss grabbed hold of it right as the mountain giant whipped it backup unto the air. He then flung himself toward the giant, spinning like a throwing star until Puss landed on the giant's fanny pack.

Puss expertly cut the satchel's strap, sending the captives onto the ground and into freedom. They cheered and ran. The boy and his cow-as well as the other less important victims, like the governor-were safe.

Making jaw-dropping jumps, spinning through the air, and finally landing with his sword planted in the giant's back, Puss was on the final attack.

The giant screamed as Puss wedged himself into the giant's ear.

"Hey giant, pray for mercy," Puss yelled in his final battle cry.

"From Puss in Boots." He grabbed the giant's eyepatch, swung on it, and slid over to the giant's good eye. Out of shock and desperation, the giant swung the bell he was still holding out of control.

Its rope caught around the giant's antlers, cinching him into further defeat.

Then Puss delivered the winning blow-the bell slammed hard into the giant's face.

DONNNNGGGGGG!

The giant reeled back slowly like a falling tree.
Victorious, Puss hopped to safety in front of his adoring spectators. He used his sword to slow his speed, carving a giant "P" _his signature move-in the dirt.

"To mas fuerte, legenda vivente, ta-da!" Puss sang.

Puss stood before his fans, drinking in the praise.

A chicken ran up to him with a bouquet of pink flowers in its beak.

"Gracias, Del Mar! You've been great! Get home safely.

Good night!" Puss called out like he was the biggest rockstar ever. But he wasn't done just yet. It was encore time.

"I call this one "The Legend Will Never Die,' Puss said, always ready for more attention.

But then . ..

KA-DONG!!!

The loose church bell fell right on Puss, smashing him completely flat.

"Puss? Puss? Puss in boots?"

Puss opened his eyes slowly. At first, he didn't know where he was. There were no adoring fans, no fiesta, no band.

Then his eyes zeroed in on all the strange things in the room. There were jars of brine, racks of malformed skulls, bone saws, and scalpels. Standing before him was an energetic oddball with a fancy hairdo who was expertly sharpening a barber's knife.

"Where -where am I?" Puss stuttered.

"Not to worry. You're in good hands. My hands," the oddball said. He lifted Puss's arms up. "I am the village doctor." He examined Puss with a new array of instruments, all rapid-fire. Stethoscope, scissors, tongue depressor, medicinal powder.

"I am also the village barber, veterinarian, dentist, and witch-finder," he added, blowing powder into Puss's face.

"And in my professional opinion, you need a wash, a blow-out, and a little trim around the headquarters"

"Um," Puss squeaked out.

"That's my professional barber opinion. But!"

The man turned away and outfitted himself with a new hat that was adorned with a candle.

"Putting on my doctor's hat, I think we need to run a few tests." The oddball-slash-vet leaned in and pulled out a mallet.

"Alright, reflexes-"

BONK! He tapped the mallet on Puss's knee. Puss cat-slapped the vet's face ten times with his paws.

"Cat-like," the vet noted.

"Temperature! Now lift your
tail and relax." Said the vet, spinning Puss around.

But Before he could do anything Puss gasped and spun back around, grabbing the thermometer from the vets hands and placing it in the vet's shirt pocket.

"Trust me: I run hot. Yup," said Puss.

The vet continued with enthusiasm,"
"Then how about the latest in modern medical technology? Leeches! To draw out the evil humors."

Puss hissed at the vet, coming toward him with a screeching leech. "Suit yourself," replies the vet. "More for me." He dropped the leech down his shirt.

"Listen, doctor. Thanks for everything, you know, but I am feeling great," Puss said, now that he'd come to. He flexed his arms "Strong, like a bull! You know. Now do you know a good place to get some gazpacho?"

"Please,' the vet pleaded. "This is serious"

"What is it?" Puss asked.

"Puss in Boots, how do I say this..
.?" The vet removed the candle from his hat and put a hand on Puss's shoulder.

"You died."

Puss was nonplussed.

"Doctor.....Relax! I am Puss in Boots. I laugh at death. Ha, ha, ha, ha! You see, I am a cat. I have nine lives"

The vet pulled down his glasses.

"And how many times have you died already?" he asked.

Puss shrugged. "I dunno, I never counted. I'm not really a 'math guy, you know?"

The vet looked at him expectantly. Puss decided to humor him.

"Gato!"

"Alright, doctor. Let's see. There was the running of the bulls in Pamplona, poker-playing dogs in Monaco, tall tower leap in Munich, the medieval gymnasium in France, cannon shot in Portugal, shellfish allergy at the restaurant, oven explosion on Drury Lane ... and then there was the giant today!" Puss recalled. "So, what is that, like, four?"

"That makes eight, Puss," the vet said. "You are down to your last life. My prescription: no more adventures for you! You need to retire."

"Retire? "Are you the village comedian as well?"

But the vet wasn't laughing.

"Puss. Is there any safe place you can go? Any special someone you can rely on in this moment of need?"

"I am Puss in Boots, loved by one and all," Puss replied.

"Anyone in particular?" the vet asked.

Puss squirmed, uncomfortable. Why would the doctor need to know about his past? All he needed to know was that he was the legendary Puss in Boots!

"I mean, uh, how could I possibly choose?"
" he said.

Taking note of this, the vet scribbled on a strip of paper and then handed it to him.

"This is the address of Mama Luna. She is a cat-fancier, always on the lookout for a new lap-cat. You will be safe there," the vet said.

"Lap-cat?! The vet really was a comedian. Puss jumped down from the exam table and grabbed his sword.

"I am no lap-cat, doctor!" Puss hollered. "I am ..Puss in Boots!" He sheathed his sword.

The vet sighed. "Not anymore. Barber's orders. I mean, doctor's orders. Remember, Puss. Death comes for us all...treat?"

Puss felt angry. He started to walk out, but the vet had one more trick up his sleeve. He pulled out a jar of cat treats and offered one to Puss, who reluctantly took it.

"You've really got to work on your bedside manner,"

Puss said in between angry munches. Before he stormed off for good, he decided to take the whole treat jar. After all, they were pretty good.