Hi there! I decided I wanted to write a Shen x Ahri story! Hope you enjoy!

The dojo was quiet. The darkness had filled the room before I even realized that so much time had passed.

I stood up and stretched my legs out after my long period of meditation and walked to the front door of the dojo atop the hill upon which it rests. I looked out into the night and saw a village which used to pay homage to and value the Kinkou Order, which now lies in ruin.

The darkness surrounding the village was pushed back only by the lights illuminating it like the moon in the night sky; the sounds of happy people just celebrating the night away... As I sat here alone on the evening of the blood moon.

Every passing of the blood moon I meditate, so as to commune with the spirits and pass through to the spirit realm- to ensure that the balance between light and dark; good and evil; spirit and soul, is maintained.

However, it can get lonely as the Eye of Twilight. Not having someone to share this... burden with can be demoralizing.
Me, my father, Master Kusho, and my brother, Zed, used to believe that this duty was to be done by the Eye of Twilight alone... only now I have realized that my life also has a balance.

After looking out at the village for what seemed like an eternity, I snapped back to reality to a loud noise that sounded like tins and pans shuffling about from the dojo's kitchen.

I walked to the kitchen only to find nine fluffy tails greeting me, swishing and swashing in uneven yet excited motions. On the floor was a trail of sand and mud trailing out to the back door of the dojo; I also heard the sound of cookies being munched drowning out the sound of my footsteps as I approached her.

As I finally came to a standstill behind her, her left fox ear twitched quickly alerting her to my presence like sonar. She looked at me, as she paused and looked at me like she had been caught red handed.

She blushed and looked away and continued to finish the last cookie while I stared at her now stiffened tails and alerted ears.

After finishing her cookie meal, she turned around and looked at me- covering her private parts with her tails. Crumbs of the aftermath of her scavenging still present on her face as she flashed a toothy, fangs too, triumphant grin like she had caught a defiant mouse in the snow.

I looked at her for a bit, unsure of what to say to her. So I stared at her, and she became visibly uncomfortable all while I was hiding a smirk under my mask as I held back a laugh as she became more uncomfortable.

"H-hi." She said awkwardly. "I'm Ahri, pleased to meet you." She stuck out her hand to greet me, but retracted it slowly when I didn't respond at all- I just stared at her more as blankly as possible.

I wasn't upset, no not upset at all- but she was dirty all over and she wasn't wearing any clothes and just happened to come into my dojo for whatever reason. On the evening of the Blood Moon, you'd think an attractive woman- a currently naked woman- would at least be wearing clothes. So what was she doing out here in my dojo?

I continued to stare at her for a few more seconds before wiping my hand over my face, just to get myself back to reality. I waved her deeper inside of the dojo, staying silent while doing so. I gestured for her to follow me, and she did- and I took her to a room and signaled for her to enter.

I took her to a washroom, it was at this moment that I felt that staying silent was no longer an option.

"Ahri, I think you should clean yourself up. This is the washroom, it has everything you need to clean yourself. I will set some clothes outside of this room for you to put on... as you don't seem to own any of your own. " I stifled a chuckle." You can have this room on the right of the washroom."

I gestured to the room that had the name Akali on it. "My former student won't be needing it anymore." I looked down as I said this last part under my breath, so soft that only a person with a foxes ears could hear it- something I didn't think of.

She looked at me, bewildered at my random gesture of kindness. Probably expecting to be shooed or chased off the land- this must be her first gesture of kindness in a long time.

"Th-thank you, uhm... what's your name?" She asked, still bewildered.

"Shen. Now, if you need anything I will be by the front door of the dojo- I have something I have to think about."

"Thank you, Shen." She said, looking down at her feet, as I left.

I reached the entrance, and stared back at the village down below. It's been years since I've been to the blood moon festival... Going alone is pointless. I thought back to simpler times, back when Zed and I were close.

Some time had passed and I heard the door of the washroom open- shortly I heard footsteps approach me.

Ahri was wearing a large white shirt (it came down to her knees), a pair of black shorts which weren't visible now but I had put them there for her to wear, and a pair of socks so her feet wouldn't get cold.

"What are you looking at?" She said out of curiosity, wondering what I was staring at- while also looking out into the dark and searching for watch I was looking for with her golden eyes.

I didn't even turn to look at her as I waved her over and pointed toward the village. "They are celebrating the blood moon festival. It brings up memories of... simpler times." I said with a quiet sigh.

She just looked at the village with bewilderment and excitement that showed easily over her face. A warm smile, wide and curious eyes that the fox lady had. You'd swear she'd never been human before.

"Have you ever been to a festival? You seem like you've never seen anything like this before in your life."

"I have, indirectly been to a festival before... I suppose."

I looked at her, frowning a little bit. "You suppose?"

"When I was a fox, I used to follow the humans around to see what they did... I longed to become like them, and to partake in the festival was one of my greatest wishes... but no one really noticed me as a fox."

"So you weren't born a Vastaya?"

"Vastaya? N-no, I was born a fox... magic or something changed me and now I am human."

"That explains the cookie raid...", I mumbled under my breath. She just giggled.

Then I had an idea and looked at her. "Ahri, do you want to go to the festival with me?"

The moment I asked that question her ears perked up, her eyes glowed an excited golden colour and her tails swished quickly to express her excitement.

"I'd love to go! I wanna goo!" She said like she was a little kid trying to go to an amusement park.

I smirked. "Alright, then we'll go tomorrow evening. It's almost over for today and the festival spans across two days. It would be better if we went tomorrow so you can enjoy the whole festival."

"Okay!" She said excitedly, and I took her to Akali's old room.

"Here's your room for the night. We'll head out early tomorrow morning. I have some things I need to do and prepare- You're coming with me so I can keep and eye on you." I said, with a rather monotonous tone that my voice usually carries.

She visibly dosed off at what I was saying and then when she snapped out of it, she pouted and affirmed the plan for tomorrow after I repeated it to her.

"Good night Ahri, see you in the morning."

"Good night Shen!"

I walked to my own room, after closing her door and fell onto my bed.

"She was rather... cute wasn't she?" I thought as I dosed off.

When I awoke, I felt a warmth in my bed that I had never felt before... and something very soft against my skin. Something... fluffy.

I opened my eyes to find that Ahri was laying in my bed, snoring her head off with her fluffy tails wrapped around me like a blanket.

I coughed to try and make her wake up but she just wouldn't budge. Then I realized she was naked again, and sighed.

I flicked her fox ear and she shot up like a rocket to the moon.

"Ow! Why did you do that!?"

"Ahem." I drew attention to her naked form which didn't phase me all that much and she immediately went red.

"Why are you in my bed?" I questioned, but I already had a vague idea why.

"Uhm, I was lonely and I am not used to sleeping alone. As a fox, I usually sleep together with those I was close with. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." She looked sad and scared. I put my hand on her head. "It's okay. It's time for us to get ready for the day ahead. Go to the washroom and get ready. I'll have another, more casual set of clothes for you to wear try not to take them off this time, okay?"

She giggled this time, her smile coming back. "Deal." She then stuck her pinky out, and brought it towards me with a silly smile like one of an excited little girl.

I stuck my finger out hesitantly, this doesn't happen all that often so it was all very unusual for me. I grabbed her pinky with mine and forming an eternal (imaginary) bond.

She smiled and got out of the bed, tails all fluffy and swishing everywhere and ran off to the washroom to clean herself.

I went into the washroom that was inside my own room. Inside, there was a shower, a toilet, a basin and a towel rack. I took a short but refreshing shower and when I was done I put on my normal purple ninja's attire, mask included.

I still need to get Ahri's clothes, I thought.

I walked past the washroom that Ahri was using, to the right where Akali's old room was. She left a lot of her old stuff here when she left the Kinkou Order... but she must forge her own path. If we are to meet again, the spirits will bring our paths together.

Much like how Ahri was guided by the spirits to my dojo, now that I think about it.

After a bit of searching, I found a dress that was red at the chest, and white at the hem. With special sleeves that would slide onto the wearers arms. It had a little red rope and a bell attached to the chest area. Along the hem, there were golden embellishments and around the middle of the dress was the transition between red and white colouration. It even had enough place beneath it for her tails to stick out comfortably.

This'll work, I thought. The bell might keep her busy for a bit.

I moved to leave the room, before I saw a picture of me and Akali near the exit. I placed my left hand on it.

Akali... stay safe.

I walked out of the door and back past the washroom. The shower tap wasn't running anymore... but Ahri was still in the bathroom. Probably because she doesn't have any clothes but that didn't seem to bother her before. I figured I'd give the door a knock.

"Ahri?" I knocked, but she didn't answer and I knocked again. "Ahri? Hello? Are you okay?"

I decided I'd barge in, because she didn't seem all that bothered by me seeing her in the nude.

I opened the door slowly, looking around for her when I spotted her, sitting on the shower floor with the water off. Soaked completely in water, silently sobbing with her ears drooping and her tails all wrapped around her. Her head was in her knees so I couldn't see her eyes.

"Hey Ahri, are you okay?" I asked with a hint of concern but it was masked with the monotony of my voice and walked in to crouch in front of the shower.

Her ear twitched again, but this time she didn't react all that much.

"Am I going to have to go in there, Ahri?" This time, with a sigh.

I opened the glass door barring the path to Ahri and walked in to see if I could get her attention.

This time she looked up, the tears still flowing and a slight wimpier was coming from her. Her golden eyes were now a shade of crystal blue- her eyes seemed to change when she was feeling sad.

I put my hand on her shoulder showing her that it's going to be okay, and she shuffled a little closer so she could give me a hug.

... and so we sat there in the shower silently for what felt like an hour but was really just 10 minutes.

"A-Ahri? Are you okay now?" I looked down and she had fallen asleep again which really just annoyed me. I flicked her ear again and she jumped up alert and then looked at me with a pout.

"Are you okay now? What happened? Why were you crying?"

She sat silently and said nothing for a moment. "... I'm a monster Shen. I feel like such a monster, I've killed so many people... I've broken up families and shattered homes... all for life essences... and now I crave even more and more and I don't know what to do."

At first, I was unsure on what to say. This was a lot of information to take in but- it's no different to myself. We've always done things we could take back.

This time, I pulled her in close giving her a hug...

She looked surprised and then hugged me back tightly.

"We all make mistakes, that is how we learn... it's what it means to be human. Learning from our mistakes and growing to become better humans. What makes us strong and helps us to grow is fighting back against the urges to do what we don't want to do."

"I don't want to kill anymore... I want to live and not want to take any more lives and now devour someone's soul every time... I just want to live."

"Then get yourself ready, we have a long day ahead." I said as I got up, and held my hand out for her to take.

"Shen?"

"You're going to be my new disciple. How about it? I'll teach you about the balance and what the Kinkou stood for... and maybe along the way you will learn how to keep balance within yourself."

She sat on the ground, pondering and thinking and came to a conclusion fairly quickly. Taking my hand, she stood up and wiped her tears away.

"Okay Shen, let's do it.", she said more cheerfully now and with a smile.

She couldn't tell, but I was smiling too. I had someone to teach- I have a purpose new purpose...

A new friend.

With Balance, comes change.

With this change, we will both grow and shift like the spirits and in doing so- so will the balance in our souls.