“Ah, Baku-sama! It’s been a long time!” The fox man bows. “Huh. You’re smaller than I remember. Back for another bowl, eh?”

“Maybe later. Have you seen my friend? Black hair, grey eyes.” The words come to her before she can even register the image in her memory.

“Hmmm,” the Kitsune strokes his whiskers. “No. Not since you two came to my truck. Don’t tell me you two broke up?”

Heat floods her face. “I … I just have to find him.”

“Sorry, little one. Haven’t seen him.”

The Yokai sighs. “I wonder who I can ask for help.”

The Kitsune taps a long, pointy nail against his chin in thought. “When I’m stuck like that, I find it best to ask everyone I can. You never know who has the right information for you.”

“I’ll try that. Thanks.”

“See you again!” The Kitsune rolls his udon cart away. Ask everyone I can. The Yokai struggles to think. There are so many of them. Scores, hundreds even. Asking them one by one will take her eons. The Yokai clears her throat. “Excuse me, everyone,” she calls out.

The parade stops abruptly. The music pauses. Everyone stares at her.

“Sorry. I’m glad to see you all again, I really am, but I’m looking for my friend. Have any of you seen him?”

Everyone looks down at the ground, at their multitude of toes, up at the sky, at their arms as if they have watches. Everywhere but at the Yokai herself. A scaly blue demon eventually steps forward. “I’m sorry, dear Baku,” it says. “We haven’t seen him in months. Not since the Flight from 自分自身.”

“The Flight from what now?”

“自分自身. Jibun Jishin,” the creature repeats, slower. “Everyone says you were the cause. Don’t you remember?”

The Yokai does not understand. She shakes her head. “I wish I could. Never mind. It’s okay. Thanks, anyway.”

“Have you tried the mountains?” shouts someone in the back of the parade.

Mountains. Now that strikes a chord with her. “I haven’t. Thank you!”

“Be careful, Baku-sama,” the blue yokai tugs at her hand. “For if the King of Nightmares knows you’re coming, he’ll devour your life again and may even take your eyes. That’s what he’s been doing these days, ever since the disappearance of his boy.”

“He has more eyes than ever, now!” someone adds. “For months he’s been able to prey on any human he desires!”

“He’s more dangerous than ever!” another voice trembles.

“Built that moat from all those humans, he did!”

“Join us, Baku-sama,” begs the blue demon. “Don’t go! It’s the annual parade! We’ll have sake and tomorrow night we’ll sneak among the humans!”

“I have to. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay.” The Yokai is certain of it; this time, she thinks, things will go my way.

The demon reluctantly relinquishes her space. “Be careful. Have you had any peaches today?”

“Yes. And I had some tea.”