Celestia left village and step out in Shinshu Field. But then she did, that saw most of the land was cover in some kind of darkness and the air had the sense of evil in it.
"Huh? You probably know this already, Tia, but... This here is Shinshu Field, the most beautiful field in Nippon. At least it's supposed to be... But ever since that incident, I've been getting a bad vibe. We better watch where we're going. You can look at the map that you have. Let's pay attention to the map as we push ahead." Issun said.
Celestia nods, she didn't like the curse zones and knew something bad will happen if she step a hoof in it. She then pull her map out.
The map look just like what they saw in the field. After look at it, the two started to head for the Guardian Sapling ahead of them. She ending up fighting some more Imps, but dealt with them quickly. She ran up to the Guardian Sapling and saw that it was wither.
"Tia, that's the first Guardian Sapling marked on our map! It's supposed to be a place for travelers to rest and recuperate, but just look at it! It looks like it could fall over at any moment! This place is definitely cursed from the looks of it! Places where evil has taken hold, luring monsters from far and wide, are known as cursed zones. But I've never seen one this big. It's withered all the plant life in the area, even the big tree! It'd take a monster with powers beyond even a god to do this! ... ... That tree's an offshoot of Cherry Blossom. It protects nature in the area. Maybe the natural beauty here would return if we revived it... But how the heck could we do that, anyway?" Issun explain then asked.
"We might need to find another brush god. Maybe he/she could help us." Celestia said thinking.
She follow the path, taking care of more imps along the way, and soon found Herself in Hana Valley, but it too had the same feeling as Shinshu Field. She nods and follow the path. It wasn't long before she came to some more imps, that look like they were playing music and drinking. When they Celestia, they attack he. She dealt with the imps and saw some of the land appear, but was force away as soon as it appear.
"Huh? We got rid of the monsters, so why did the gods' power disappear? Guess the curse on the gods of these lands must be really strong. They can't intervene till we do something about this stagnant air." Issun said.
"Agree. I have a feeling we are not alone." Celestia said, feeling the evil in the air.
She walk on until she saw a moving tree.
"Hey, check out that tree! It's moving! Better be careful, you too..." Issun said before the tree threw it fruit at her.
Celestia waste no time in Power Slashing it back, stunned the tree.
"Tia! Did you just do what I think you did!? Did you use Power Slash to hit the tree's fruit right back at it? Heh heh... It's wearing a taste of its own medicine! Let's pass on by this creepy old tree while we can!" Issun asked shock then smirk.
Celestia run pass the curse tree and fought off more. It wasn't long before she found two Green Imps and they started playing. Soon she saw some thing move underground, it pop up to show it was another Imp but bigger then the Green Imps. The Imp has a sickly yellow color of its flesh and body. It also has monkey-like hands and feet, and move in a manner similar to simians. It wears tattered clothing of varying shades of yellow, from a light color to a dark earth-like saturation. Like all imps, it wears a paper mask on its face, and depicts a kana unique from other imps. This mask bears the katakana ハ (ha).
The Yellow Imp retreated back under ground and the two Green Imps fought back. Celestia dealt with the Green Imps with ease. She waited as the Yellow Imp move around underground. It then pop up behind her and ready to attack her.
"Tia, look out!" Issun shouted.
Celestia just try around and swing her weapon at it. The Imp stood it ground (while in the ground). It being to bang it drum and Celestia had a bad feeling about it. She saw the Yellow Imp bang on it drum hard and made a shock-wave that hit her. The Yellow Imp let a noise out like it was laughing and retreated back underground.
"How dare it attack me!" Celestia growl and waited for the Imp to appear again.
She waited until the Yellow Imp pop back up and ran behind it. That made the Yellow Imp confuse. It turn back and white she use the power slash to weaken it. She started to attack it, she finish the Yellow Imp in no time and then it disappear into flowers. The fight caught the attention of Sword Fighter who was trying to push on a rock.
"Hm? What's all that racket?" He asked turning around to see Celestia, and Issun.
"Oh, it's you, filly! What're you doing here? Go home! I already told you I'm not looking for apprentices. Anyway, Hana Valley is no place for filly like you. Beyond this point lies my secret training ground. It's the perfect place to hide -" Sword Fighter said.
"HUH?" Celestia asked shock.
"Er... I mean, to train! Now scoot! Be off with ya!" Sword Fighter said clearing his throat before swing his sword at her.
Celestia jump back after the swing as Sword Fighter went back to pushing the rock again.
"Something is wrong here. We need to find that Guardian Sapling, but this rock this in the way." Celestia said looking a tthe rock.
"Wow... Check out that wall painting. It's said that a crystal sphere that makes trees grow is enshrined somewhere around here. Based on this painting here, I'd say the rumor must be true. Still, something's not right. Don't you think there's something missing from this painting?" Issun said making the two turn to him to see the painting he was talking about.
"Looks like a painting of a ritual for making a tree grow, but... Don't you think there's something missing from this painting? I know! The sun! That's what's missing! Doesn't it just make you wanna draw it in yourself!?" Issun said looking a that painting some more.
Celestia could see what Issun was talking about and painted the sun in the painting. Once it was done the painting glow and the rock in front of Sword Fighter was destroy.
"What in heaven's name!? How did that happen? Well, now I can go hide - Er... I mean, now I can go train!" Sword Fighter said running in laughing.
Celestia follow after him and soon came to a small green sapling from the ground.
"What's up with this tiny sapling? Hm? I smell a faint scent like Cherry Blossom's coming from this sapling!Why would a Guardian Sapling be so tiny like this? I mean, that wall painting had a huge, magnificent tree in it! Maybe the monsters' evil is keeping its power at bay." Issun said looking over the plant.
"Strange." Celestia said.
She turn to see a wooden gate blocking their path, but a quick Power Slash from her's brush remove the problem. Celestia follow the tunnel and soon came across Sword Fighter again.
"Rawrrrr!" He growl.
"What now!?" Issun shouted as Celestia run up to him.
"You... You foul beast! How did you get in here!?" Sword Fighter asked angry.
"Foul beast?" Issun asked.
They turn to see a bear, fast asleep, standing on a crystal sphere.
"You have some nerve sneaking into my private training ground. Now you shall get a taste of my new secret technique!" Sword Fighter said and started to draw his sword.
"Your "foul beast" looks like an ordinary sleepy bear to me, pops." Issun said trying to stop him.
"Enough talk! My blade thirsts for battle! Here goes nothing!" Sword Fighter said and started to attack the touches around the bear first.
"Sword Fighter-Style SWORD FIGHTER! SW! OR! D! FIGHTER!" He said cutting each one with Celestia help him secretly.
Once he was done with the touches he turn to the bear.
"Now for Sword Fighter-Style... Exploding Implosion!" He said and slash the bear.
Celestia use less power for the slash so she didn't hurt the bear. The bear snap awake and fell off the crystal sphere before falling back asleep. Everyone just stare at the bear confuse. Celestia step up and look at Sword Fighter what was just as confuse as them.
"Um... Uh... Rest in peace, foul beast. The great warrior Sword Fighter condemns the offense, not the offender. Anyway, there are other monsters I must deal with! Aha ha ha ha ha ha!" He said and ran off making Celestia sweat drop again.
"This crystal sphere is filled with leaves. Is this sphere used in a ritual for a good harvest or something? Hey, didn't that wall painting have a sphere-like object in it?" Issun said before remembering the painting back outside.
"Hmm, let get it back to the other room." Celestia said started to push it.
She two push the sphere back into the room with the little sapling. She pass it up a hill and into the puddle of water she saw. Once it was in the puddle, it made it float up.
"Wow, someone had a lotta time on their hoofs to think all this up. So this WAS that sphere in that wall painting! I bet this sphere here is magic or something!" Issun said shock.
Celestia remember what the painting also show the sun and drew the sun. To her surprise, it work! The sun shine on the sphere and the small sapling grew into the Guardian Sapling.
"Hey, is this a Guardian Sapling!? It's all withered like the others. What the!? Who turned out the lights? Oh... It's another constellation, Tia!" Issun said before noticing the sky.
Celestia look up to see something appear in the sky. She fill in the missing stars and they saw a monkey with a Shinto priest hat come down spinning. Once it stop, the two notices each other and sat down.
Ah... Celestia. Origin of all that is good and mother to us all... My gratitude for releasing my body from its slumber. Please accept my humble thanks in return for your great kindness. I am Sakigami, one of the triumvirate of flora gods known as the Hanagami. My brethren and I have been entrusted with the brush techniques known collectively as Greensprout. I now grant my humble power to you. Use it wisely." Sakigami said before turning into a symbol and united with Amaterasu.
"That was Sakigami, one of the gods of flora! Apparently, the Bloom brush technique can make flowers blossom simply by drawing a circle on a withered tree. Hey! Maybe it'll make the withered Guardian Sapling blossom, too!" He said.
Celestia turn to the tree and painted a circle the Guardian Sapling and the tree bloom into cheery blossoms and soon the whole Hana Village was back to normal.
"Wow! Look at how everything grew back so quick! Cherry Blossom wasn't kidding about the power of the Guardian Saplings! So this is what Hana Valley's supposed to look like... Seems Cherry Blossom's Guardian Sapling has lifted the evil curse. I'm not sure how weak the gods have become recently... But it must've taken some wickedly strong power to suppress this magnificent Guardian Sapling. Even if you are Shiranui reborn... We might be up against more than we bargained for! Hey, Tia! What about that withered Guardian Sapling outside? I bet you could revive it like you did this one! And by bringing that Guardian Sapling back to life, we might be able to lift the curse there, too! What are we waiting for? Leap before you think, right!?" Issun said.
"Sound like I can." Celestia said smile.
She knew she was far from done.
I plan on doing more then this, but I need time to plan the next area a little. Don't worry. I'm not stopping this story at all. So up next is the rest of Shinshu Field and then back to Kamiki Village to see the Konohana Shuffle. There is a Brush power to get before you leave Shinshu Field in the game after all.