The man grins despite himself. He can feel a blush coming on. He cannot remember the last time he spoke this freely to anyone, human or otherwise. He narrows his eyes as he tries to determine exactly what kind of yokai he is dealing with. He has never seen one that looks and talks like this. It could be a simple shape-shifter taking the form of a woman. It is possible that she is a futakuchionna, a demon with a mouth in the back of its head. Or perhaps a nure-onna, a snake woman. They are not uncommon in this part of the mountains, but if that is indeed what this is, why does this one look so … He searches for the word.

The frustration on the man’s face catches the yokai’s attention. “NOW what?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry. If … I may ask … what are you?”

The yokai narrows her eyes. “What kind of a question is that?”

“Well, forgive me, but I’m having trouble —”

“You make me sound like I’m some kind of freak or something.”

“Well, you did just eat a house.”

She turns away to hide her grin. “Yeah, well … I wouldn’t talk, Momotaro.”

The young man smiles a little. “Momotaro?”

“Yeah. Your cheeks look like pink peaches. Peach cheeks. ‘Peach Boy.’ Momotaro. So there.”

“Momotaro,” he laughs. Normal. That is the word he is looking for. Either this thing is far from her home, or she is toying with him. Many yokai still do that, he remembers from his former protector. They like to play with their food before they eat it. He looks away. “Well, I must go. Again, I apologize for disturbing you. Please excuse me.”

She grabs him by the arm. “What’s your name?”

“Zaniel,” he admits with a sigh. It is pointless and often unwise to lie to a yokai.

“Oh. Cool name.”

He does not dare relax at her calm tone. They play with their food. Perhaps it is safer to talk his way out. “You know,” he begins, “there are many places to eat here. There’s a whole village just down the road from here. I’m sure you know it. It’s where all yokai go. It has all the food you could want.”

She leans so close he can see himself in her big black eyes. “Food like that?” She gestures to the remains of the house.

“Um … maybe?”

The young man blinks. She is gone.

Zaniel leaves the garden, looking over his shoulder now and then, taking careful steps. The yokai does not sneak up behind him or leap out from the trees. By the time he reaches the end of the forest, he supposes she did not want to seduce and devour him after all.