The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.


The trio set out for the next Guardian Sapling. Or rather, the one just outside Kamiki Village that none of them quite understood. That Divine Intervention was just kind of tacky. There wasn't much else to say. Except…

"So that's what happens to these sheets of parchment!" Miya exclaimed. One of the sheets blew around, flying towards a hut in Shinshu Field. "They get frozen in these cursed zones!"

(So, we're letting the other ones slip by?)

"Keiko, you know full well there's one back in Kamui. Of course we're letting them get past us!"

(Then let's get home!)

"No, Keiko. Bad idea."

(What?)

"The guy that beat you into a pulp is in Kamui. I can only give you so many herbs."

(Oh…)


They entered the hut, to find Tama the Flaming Pyrotechnist.

"Ah, hello, young Tetsu. You're looking well."

"As are you, Mr Living-In-A-Cursed-Zone."

"What? Cursed zone? Blasphemous, child. Cursed zones were eliminated by the great goddess Amaterasu way back when."

"Yeah, yeah, legend, legend, I gotcha."

"So… whatcha want?"

"…That," Tetsu said, indicating the parchment lying right next to Tama. Tama knelt down to the parchment, and read it.

"Bakugami? Cherry Bomb? What in the blazes is this?" Tama asked.

"Something that we probably shouldn't let Keiko near, but we have to. I suggest handing over the parchment and leaving this house," Miya rambled.

(Miya…)

"You know I'm just kidding."

(…I suppose you're right.)

"Anyway, Tama. The parchment, if you please."

"How long do you need it?"

"Well, it came from my book, and is written in Issun's handwriting, so I'm never going to give it back. But we'll need to take it off your hands to let Keiko read anyway."

(Could you be any less blunt?)

"Hey, we kinda need to hurry along now. I don't trust you, someone who is antagonizing you, and a house full of bombs. Recipe for disaster."

(I'm not that stupid.)

"Anyway, I'm not giving you the parchment. This could so help my studies of pyrotechnics.

(Yes I am. Everyone, get out.)

"Calm down, Keiko. *Yoink,*" Tetsu consoled, snatching away the parchment, and letting Keiko read it. She drew the 'Q' shape.


"Keiko, let me go over this once more. That was an accident, right?"

(Yes. I didn't quite plan far enough ahead to link 'Cherry Bomb' with 'pyrotechnics'. Now will you quit bugging me? It's hard enough looking for a tree in the forest as it is.)

"Good point, good point. But have you noticed there simply aren't any trees in here?"

(No, because we've been locked in an argument about blowing that guy up for the past few miles.)

"Well, I have something that should shut you two up," Miya said. She reached into her dress, and pulled out another parchment, depicting a dragon trapped in a bottle.

"How long have you had that?"

"I picked it up while you two were bickering."

(We've learned our lesson, now, gimme!)

"Whoa, calm down, Keiko. It's not a big powerful one, like Power Slash of Cherry Bomb, but…" Keiko looked at the three strokes. A line being traced from a source of water. A swirl in what appeared to be a Mermaid Spring. And two lines signifying rain.

(Waterspout. How elegant. Teehee.) Keiko had become almost childlike. She launched a jet of water from the nearest pond, erupting as a geyser. She swum up the said geyser, and found a new path. Now that she had a conscious focus, her search for whatever she was looking for should be easier.


She was looking for a giant flower, right?

"Wow… so pretty… if it wasn't so huge, I'd love for Issun to give me one of these…"

(What?)

"Nothing. You heard nothing."

*QUAKE*

(Now I'm concerned.)

"That wasn't me. I couldn't make myself noticed like that to save my life."

(Did I suggest that was you?)

"Maybe it's this giant flower." Miya wandered up to it. Something stirred behind it. Tetsu shrieked. Keiko… didn't. She leaped straight at Miya, took her into her mouth, did a backflip to dodge a projectile, and landed softly on her four paws.

No one has anything. I'd show you Ammy doing this, because it's so cool, but…

The flower began to stir. And it's owner wasn't too picky about what it chose to snack on.


The Spider Queen looked at the pair expectantly. She licked her mouth expectantly, hoping to get a morsel out of one of them. Keiko wasn't having any of that. She ran around the Spider Queen, hooking cleverly placed hooks on her abdomen to Konohana Blossoms, eventually blooming her bud. Within it were…

"Changed my mind. I don't want Issun to give me one of these flowers."

(What tipped you off? The hungry monsters or the giant eyeballs?)

"Giant eyeballs."

Keiko restrained from rolling her eyes with great difficulty. She used some healthy Power Slashes, but no dice. The Spider Queen had her abdomen closed, and Keiko had to unhook it again. But this round, she wasn't alone.

*SLASH*

Did eyeballs, no matter how creepy, stand a chance against a combined Keiko/Miya/Tetsu Power Slash? Especially when Tetsu was using a wooden sword?

…Didn't think so.

The Spider Queen dropped the Snarling Beast. And the demon claimed her soul, but what else is new? Keiko considered getting an answer, but now was not the time. Now was the time for another Divine Intervention. Because the Sapling was in here this time.

…At least it pointed the way out of this cavern.

Two brush skills per update! This thing will be done so fast, right?

...I thought you were paying attention. We've got plenty left. Sometimes there isn't a brush skill. ...Next chapter isn't proof.

And if I'm laying on Keiko's personality a little thick, my bad. But I have plans for her.

Leap before you think!