Sato stared at Sakura in confusion. "Is this girl really one of those creatures?" he thought to himself. She looked so beautiful she couldn't possibly be a Bakemono.

Sakura started to speak, "So, are you gonna just sit there staring at me creepily or what?"

Sato snapped out of a daze, "Oh, sorry. I spaced out," He started to get up. "By the way, my name is Yamagata Satoshi. But you can just call me Sato. So, you're a monster like those other things?"

Sakura sighed shaking her head, "Oh geez, I told you already. We're called Bakemono."

"Okay. So then what are Bakemono exactly?" Sato tried to keep his mind on the conversation. But the fact that the sun was silver, kept popping up in his mind.

Sakura blinked turning her waist slightly, "You mean, you seriously don't know?"

Sato shook his head dumbfounded, "Nuh-uh."

"Geez you really are uninformed, aren't you Sato?

"You have no idea."

"Well then, in that case, I'll explain it to you. You see up until about thirteen years ago-"

"Whoa! Hold on!" Sato interrupted Sakura "If it was up until thirteen years ago, how do you know about it? Aren't you like my age?"

"I learned about this in school, okay? Now let me finish," Sakura cleared her throat before continuing. "Up until thirteen years ago us Bakemono and humans lived together in peace. But all that changed when one despicable Bakemono, known as the Warrior Bakemono, Niji, called a war on the humans. In the end, a human had used an ancient book to seal us away in. It was known as the Forbidden Book. And you and I are standing talking inside of it now. Now like the human race the Bakemono race is very vast and unique. However, we are split into two groups. The mindless Bakemono, like the ones you just saw today. And the free-willing Bakemono, like me. Plus, we're also divided into different sub-types, kinda like your ethnicities. For example, I am a Strength Bakemono."

"Yeah, no kidding. But how come you don't look all crazy-like? I mean you look like an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl."

"I know. Ever since I was a little girl I was abandoned because my parents called me ugly and thought I was a pathetic excuse for a Bakemono, since I had none of their features. No horns, like my father, or demon wings like my mother. I'm a disgrace!" Sakura started to bawl.

"I fail to see just how that's ugly..." Sato's voice was hardly able to speak over Sakura's crying. "Hey, hey! Come on, don't cry. You're not ugly at all."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"You...you really think so?" Sakura started to wipe away her tears.

"Yeah of course I do," Sato nodded profoundly. "Sure, I bet if you went to my school, you'd fit right in." Sato didn't mention how she would fit right in until she started her random crying of course.

Sakura started crying again.

"What's wrong? Now why are you crying?" Sato asked confused.

"You said that I would fit in at your school. But I'm not a human. So you think I look like a human too? I should be ashamed to have this Bakemono blood coursing through my veins!?

"Geez, this chick sure is one heck of drama queen," Sato said to himself. "Hey, Sakura! Stop crying would ya? Geez, sure you look like a human and all. But you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are. And if you were born a Bakemono. Well, I don't see any reason why you can't be a proud Bakemono!"

"Sato…thank you."

"Well, now that that's over. See ya, I gotta go find so something to eat and then find a way out of here." Sato started to walk off.

Sakura extended her arm towards the purple-haired teen, "Sato! Wait!"

"Crap," Sato said under his breath. "What is it, Sakura?"

"So you're a human right? Not a Bakemono?"

Sato pivoted his head around, "Yeah, what of it?"

"Well then, I have some bad news," Sakura said solemnly.

"Well, could you hurry it up. 'Cause I really gotta get home." He needed to get home because he was starving to death and his mom made pannines earlier. But he refused to admit his love for them in front of a girl. Or anyone for that matter. But especially not a girl, lest he be single for the rest of his life.

"That's just it. You see, you can't go home!"

"What?! Why not?" Sato's panic levels rose to the peak. Why couldn't he go home? Was this some sick joke, courtesy of the universe?

"Because when you entered the Forbidden Book, from outside. You became trapped." Sakura explained. "Now you will have to find your way out of the book, facing the most fearsome monsters of Bakemono history. All of them will come to destroy you since most Bakemono nowadays hate humans ever since the war."

"Most?" Sato asked curiously.

"Me not included. As a lot of other Bakemono hate me just for looking like one."

"Sakura…"

The ground began to shake. Once again the trees nearly popped from their roots.

Sato looked around and said, "An earthquake."

Sakura nodded, "Yep. From the Golem Bakemono."

"What him again?"

"Actually, her."

"What?! How can you tell?"

"The females work alone, males travel in packs." Sato just stared at her and Sakura placed her hands on her hips, "Don't act surprised. I knew I should've gone all out the first time. I won't make that mistake again!"

Sakura ran by so fast the wind she left behind nearly knocked Sato over. The Golem's hand turned a moss green shade of stone. She aimed her punch at Sakura's face. Sakura quickly jumped up onto the Golem's fist.

Sakura ran on the rocky surface. She nearly tripped on the rocks but managed to keep her balance.

Sakura pulled back her fist yelling so loud it knocked all but one tree down. She leaped off from the Golem punching it hard in the face and sending it soaring into the clouds. Sakura landed flawlessly on her feet. The last tree collapsed like a delayed domino.

"Whoa, that was incredible," Sato said in shock.

Sakura simply replied, "Yeah, I know. I am strength Bakemono after all."

A loud high-pitched squeal is heard in the distance.

"What was that just now?" Sato asked his head moving from side to side.

"I'm not sure. But it sounded like a little girl. Let's go check it out, okay?" Sakura said worry coating her voice.

Sato reluctantly nodded.