The Nura Rikuo that had lived for 500 years in the yokai world is living in this world as Mizuki Rikuo.

I don't know how this happened.

When I woke up, I was in a rainy dark forest. I was not even in my familiar yokai's body, but in a human infant's body that hadn't even reached one year of age yet. Before I woke up, I remember sitting on the porch, quietly drinking sake and watching the weeping cherry tree and the moon. I thought it must have been a dream at first, and stared up vacantly at the sky. But the harsh blows of the rain and the coldness confirmed that it was not a dream.

I began to crawl around on all fours to get myself out of the rain and wind for the time being, when something came crashing down from above. That something rolled down, and landed right where I was a few seconds ago, and almost gave me a heart attack. But with it came a phone, a model so old that it could be as rare as a fossil now days. He remembers the model being used about 450 years ago, back when he still had human friends. He could now see that what came rolling down with the phone was a Japanese human man in his late twenties. He was unconscious, but only for a short while, and woke up with a groan.

A lot had happened, and he ended up adopting me. I won't explain what had happened, that's too troublesome. But I will say that this man, Mizuki, who found me and saved my life is now my father.

Mizuki had a wife, and I learned later that she had an illness that made her unable to bare children, and had welcomed me, a child with no relatives, into the family warmly. She was a very kind, cheerful, and lovely woman. Even if her features are different, she reminded me so much of the mother who gave birth to me, that I was able to call her 'Mom' from my heart. Of course, I called Mizuki 'Dad' too. He was usually stoic and didn't speak much, and seemed like a cold, hard man to be around. But in reality, his face gave a lot away, and was a loving dad and husband that put his family before himself. They were really good people.

It must seem strange that after I shrunk I 'Don't have any relatives' when I have my family (the Nura clan). There is a reason for that. This world was a different world from the one that I stood before the head of all of the Yokai clans as the Lord of Pandemonium.

In the beginning, due to Mizuki's old modeled phone, there was a time I thought I was in the past. But as my body grew older and I had more freedom to move around and conduct some research, I found out that there were things that existed in my world that did not in this. My home in Ukiyo-e town, where I grew up, should have been in Tokyo. I would have understood if it no longer existed due to time, but the time is Heisei right now. The phone models are the same as when I was living in this time, so there should be an Ukiyo-e town. But there wasn't.

That's how I figured that this was a completely different world.

But even if the world is different, the 'Yokai' still existed. Just like my world, they lived in the shadows, forgotten by humans. If the yokai didn't exist either, what a sad existence I would have had, being one fourth yokai.

But the first time I saw the yokai in this world and interacted with them, I understood. The blood that flows in my veins are of a yokai completely different from the yokai of this world. Maybe there are others just like me in this world, but I was almost certain that I did not have any blood relatives, nor any one of the same species in this world.

I realized that I was truly alone in this world. But it was still a relief to know that those called yokai still existed.

Eight years passed being the adopted son of the two Mizukis, with loneliness that only I understood. Though my young body dragged my old spirit to be somewhat close to a younger one, I could never quite act like an infant, or a young human child. Being a child that did not act like one caused the Mizukis to worry, but they still raised me as a human with love and care. I tried harder to act like a normal child for their sake, but it became too embarrassing and troublesome, and I couldn't keep it up.

The night of my eighth birthday, I found out that my yokai blood was awakened, and I could change into my yokai form.

Frequently turning into my night form, it became hard for me to stay still, and I could not contain myself any longer. So, every two or three times a week, I began to go out after the Mizukis went to sleep. It was weird for me too, that when I turn into my night form, my cloths changed, and that I had my sword (or the naga-dosu) by my side. I knew the moment I held it, that this nenekirimaru was not the one that my grandfather gave me, but mine and mine alone. It turned out that I could hold and store it in my human form as well. I didn't think I would be using it as a human, but it's good to be vigilant. How I store it is a trade secret, don't ask.

On the spring break of the year that I found out I could turn into a yokai, I was out for an after lunch walk around town. When I walked by the Shrine, I felt something off about the place, and went to investigate. Looking at the forest behind the shrine, I found a small tunnel that would have appeared in a Ghibli movie. Curious, I went through. When I came out of the long tunnel, I found a vast and beautiful forest. I didn't notice that I had changed into my night form. Turning into a yokai during the day reminded me of the Tono Village. I could feel that the density of yoki (demonic energy) this forest was just like the hidden village, if not greater. That was why I could turn into his night form during the day. I had visited to this shrine as a human, but never after awakening the ability to become yokai. Maybe that was why I could find the forest.

I breathed in the clean air that was lost in the city, and looked around once more. I noticed that the tunnel that was just behind me had disappeared, along with my way home. Right next to me, was a mail box with a triangular top. In front of that was a lake with a tree that looked to be more than 500 years old in the middle. The large tree had a small house-like structure on it.

I walked across the bridge without thinking about it much, and hid my presence as much as I could, climbed up the ladder to peer into the little hut. I could see a small room that could fit about ten people, some dried food hanging from the ceiling. In the middle, I could see a boy wearing an old school uniform and a yellow and black striped vest sleeping on the floor in a curled-up position. This made him look to be slightly younger than my apparent age, and I could see that on the table next to him slept a palm sized eyeball in a bowl of hot water. It was strange that I could tell the eyeball was asleep, even without eyelids.

These two were definitely yokai. The eyeball aside, I could feel a large amount of yoki from the boy. It was stronger than any of the yokai I had met so far in this world. With this much yoki, his life force would be off the charts as well.

I was observing them while using my abilities as Nurarihyon just in case, but I wasn't here to fight. I dispelled my Osore, and I opened my mouth to ask for the way home.

"Oi, who are you. What do you want?"

The boy that was asleep immediately woke up, and his one visible eye glared at me. He was laid down still, but was ready to fight if I were to made one wrong move. If one looked close enough, they could see that his hair was moving, as if with a mind of their own. I discretely moved my hand onto my blade, preparing to fight should the need arise.

The air became heavy. Before now, I never fought with the humans, due to the maturity that came with age. My human form, who doesn't enjoy conflicts would have worked hard to find a way out. But my rough natured yokai form was enjoying the prospect of a fight between two powerful yokai. With the younger body, I could feel myself looking forward for a fight with a strong opponent, but I would prefer this to happen outside.

As the tension built up, the eyeball that was sleeping in its bath woke up, yawning as it sat up. ...so it does have a mouth.

"Oh, I didn't notice I was asleep, the bath felt so good. ...Hm? Kitaro, when did we receive a guest?"

"...Dad. I'm not sure, I just woke up too." The boy, now called Kitaro, got up and moved the eyeball he calls his dad behind him.

"I'll ask you again. Who are you, and what do you want?"

Kill-joy. This fight could have been fun.

"Don't be so tense" I sighed, taking my hand off of Nenekirimaru. "My name is Rikuo. I'm a quarter yokai. I got lost in this forest for some reason. Do you know the way out?"

This was how I met the two residents of the GeGeGe forest, GeGeGe no Kitaro, and his dad, Medama Oyaji.

Even if I couldn't help it (it was in my nature as yokai), I probably didn't make a very good first impression on them, entering their home without permission. But they understood that I was not an enemy, and showed me around the forest to the exit. I kept going back to the forest after school, during my nightly strolls, and on days with no school. As I started to interact with them, I was able to meet some of their other yokai friends, and got familiar with them.

But Kitaro, because of the whole entering his home and my human-like nature even if I was yokai, wouldn't really accept me. It seemed as if he disliked me being human-like more than my breaking and entering. I mean, Nezumiotoko, who was a hanyo used his wits and cunningness to gain money, was more yokai-like, and was on good terms with Kitaro. According to them, it was an unfortunate but inescapable friendship. I have heard about the yokai post where humans ask Kitaro's help against yokai, but it seemed that every time Kitaro gets a letter, he thought of it as a tiresome chore, and only went because his father prompted him to. I have never seen him in the human world, so I don't know how he helps humans.

One time, I had asked Medama Oyaji why they go around helping humans, to which he replied that when Kitaro was an infant, a young man called "Mizuki" had helped them. The act of helping humans, the Oyaji had said, was like giving back to his kindness. Then why was it that Kitaro, who had been saved by a human, seemed to only save them reluctantly?

Now that I think about it, my last name in this world is my father's "Mizuki" so we may not be completely unrelated. But that doesn't mean I have to tell Kitaro that my human name is "Mizuki Rikuo", so during my night form, I called my self just "Rikuo". After all, just because I am a Mizuki, it doesn't mean that Kitaro was suddenly going to open up to me.

But recently, when I was playing Shogi with Konaki-Jiji, I saw Kitaro, who pretended not to be interested, watching the game. So, I got him to play one game against me, which I won. Of course, Kitaro got stubbornly set on winning against me, and after a few rounds, he became less guarded around me. He didn't completely trust me though. I guess I will have to interact with him as if I am interacting with a stray cat. Not too close, but not too far.

Time passed, and these strange, but delightful days continued for years, until day in my sixth-grade year. I noticed my Mom sending me looks, seeming to want to talk about something.

Maybe it's about time. They have caught on that I leave the house at night. I have tried to be discreet, but ever since I got into sixth grade, I have been going out almost every day. It was getting harder to go against my freer yokai nature.

Judging by their mannerism, Dad will probably hold a family meeting soon. Should I deceive them? No, they would see right through it. Is my option then to tell them the truth? But what would they think if the child that they have raised until now turned out to be a yokai? A demon some stories portrayed to be an embodiment of evil?

The Mizukis have raised me for 10 years. For a yokai, it was only 10 years. But from a human, 10 years is a long time. They raised me, a child who didn't act like one, who was not related to them in any way. There is a side of me that hopes they will still love me, even if they knew my true nature. But a larger part of me was afraid that they would be disgusted and abandon me, calling me a monster. I felt an insecurity other than loneliness. So I asked Kitaro, who I was playing Shogi against, that I may end up moving into this forest soon, and if he was okay with me living here.

"Do as you please." He had said. "You always do whatever you want, why would you ask for permission to live here now?"

My face must have gone slack with surprise at Kitaro's blunt words. Kitaro stopped staring at the Shogi board and drew his eyebrows together, as if in a bad mood.

"...what?"

I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me.

"Nothing, nothing... Thanks." I said, and I moved one of my pieces.

"...Checkmate"

"What!?~~~ugh! Fine! you win!"

Do as you please. Those words must have not meant much to Kitaro. But to me, it was shocking that he said that. When I do as I please, the one who gets irritated most of the time is Kitaro himself. But if he is telling me to do so, then that must mean that he has accepted me as I was, at least a little.

Kitaro's father smiled down at his son, who had shown a clumsy form of kindness, likely without recognizing it as such himself. Watching Kitaro, who seemed frustrated at losing to me again, I was able to face a little of my anxiety within my heart.

Then came the day that would change everything.

Telling my adoptive parents and seeing them speechless, I tried to leave the house before my heart could be hurt even more. But something happened that I hadn't predicted.

The Mizukis accepted that I could change into a yokai. And they still loved me as their son.

I almost cried as my father looked at me in the eye and told me so. Even if I'm such an old grandpa on the inside, my eyes collected tears. Those of you who think that it's because I'm old that I got prone to crying can shut up.

What a lucky guy am I to have a family that loves me, even with all of my strangeness. I couldn't be more thankful that Dad was the one to find me on that fateful day.

That night, I didn't go out on my usual walks. I talked with the Mizukis until the moment they went to sleep, and went to bed in my night form.

The next night, the Mizukis decided to allow my nightly walks, understanding the nature of my yokai side. When I let them know I was going, Mom gave me snacks that go well with tea to bring to my yokai friends. Now that I think about it, I never brought them anything when I visited.

The snacks were a huge hit. According to Nekomusume, who was more accustomed to the modern human ways, the snacks were the most popular product from a famous Japanese confectionery store.

The next morning, when I told Mom in my human form that the snacks were greatly appreciated, she was very pleased. From that day on, she gave me little packages of different snacks and gifts to bring on my walks. The package usually contained small snacks she either bought or made, high quality tea for Medama Oyaji's baths, and some side dishes that went well with sake. It was very unexpected that Kitaro, who seemed to dislike humans, turned out to be the one most excited about the small gifts from my human Mom. His eyes shined every time I brought packages with me, and his expression seemed to soften a little. In contrast, it was so entertaining to see how disappointed he would get when the package didn't contain food. I didn't say anything as to not ruin my entertainment.

Thanks to my Mom's gifts, I was able to form some kind of friendship with Kitaro, and we started to talk more. One night, eating the Manju that my Mom made, the conversation turned into how I would live in the future. Personally, I told him that I wanted to live life as both human and yokai at the same time. Once he finished listening to me, Kitaro glanced at his sleeping father, and answered me in a colder tone than usual.

"I disagree with such an indecisive way of living."

"Indecisive, you say... and the reason?" I asked, curious to hear his side.

"Right now, you have humans who accept you as you are, which allows you to live both lives. But as you outlive these people, who truly understand you, and you have no guarantee that you will meet humans like that again. Even if you were lucky enough to find some, your yokai blood will force you to part ways with them and you will end up alone once more." He explained to me in a hard, monotone voice that was contradicted by the small flicker of sadness in his one visible eye.

"On top of that, human society hate abnormalities. Once they find out that you are not what they call 'normal', they will terminate you without mercy. It's easier and better to live as yokai than to experience that."

I was most likely smiling a little bitterly, as he looked at me in the eye.

"Rikuo, this is a warning." He said clearly. "If you chose to live like that, there will no doubt come a time where you would have to choose one or the other."

Yokai or human, one or the other. I had to make the same, cruel decision in my original world. That time, I chose the yokai's way of living to protect my plan. Even so, I was able to change into my day form, and interact with humans. But after living more than a hundred years, all of the humans who truly knew my past were gone. Maybe it was out of sadness, that my yokai blood became stronger, and I lived as a full yokai for the rest of my life. No one can beat the flow of time. Even in this world, there will come a time that I have to make the same decision.

But I can't change how I live now.

"Then when the time comes" I said with a smile. "I'll have you help me, GeGeGe no Kitaro-San~"

"Ha?" Kitaro scoffed. "No way. Why do I have to save you?"

"How cold. Aren't we friends?" I bumped his shoulder with mine. "Help out a friend when he's in trouble."

He looked at me with a small smirk.

"You sometimes say the same things Nezumiotoko would say."

I sat up a bit, an over exaggerated hurt expression on my face.

"Oi-oi, I can't let that pass. Don't compare me to him. Unlike Nezumiotoko, my intentions are purely based on being able to rely on a friend."

"Nope. Exactly the same. You're probably calculated all of this out."

I chuckled. "So mean. You hurt my feelings."

I am a quarter between human and Nurarihyon. Slipping past guards and into peoples' hearts is part of what's ingrained in our nature. I love both yokai and ningen, and the way of living where I can travel between both worlds makes me who I am.

Even with the inevitable deep sorrow that may come to erase my ningen parts, I can't and won't stop how I live my 'Now'.

Though I feel bad for not listening to my kind friend who had warned me in fear of me being hurt, this is the one thing that I cannot give up.