The Morning After [Private]

She lay in bed thinking about the most insane and wonderful dream. She lay there, cozy under her warm cover, smiling at the ceiling. Everything seemed to finally go right in her life, everything seemed to change. Kaseki was the first person to teach her about what it means to live. It was only fair that he would be the one that gave her a new life. The village was under the protection of what the people now referred to as "The Creator." No one wanted to say his name, or even the name they knew him by. No one wanted to relive the time and era where they tried to assassinate the very person that protected him now. He wasn't the First Kuraikage, for he passed that title down to Shini. But he was who he became. He was simply, "Kuraikage." She opened her eyes, her body coated in warmth and comfort. She smiled at her ceiling. It was odd, she didn't remember paining it white. The new room was tan. "Wait..." she thought to herself, "I thought it was a drea-" She looked down at her blanket. She smiled. It wasn't that she wasn't surprised, but rather, a literal dream come true. She poked her blanket. "Get up. I want to talk to Kurama." She said, "You can help me."

Shini looked at him with her eyes half closed. She wanted to rub them, but couldn't bring her arm up t do so. She was just too comfy to move. She looked at him, surprised that he was surprised. But the again... she knew the world better than anyone... excluding those actually from Pandora. "Please don't yell," she said hoarsely, "I just woke up..." She set her head back down onto the pillow behind her. She wasn't even going to try to explain it. He would figure it out. After all, he would she what they were wearing.

Which was... well... yeah.

Shini cleared her throat as Gray turned himself into a blanket burrito, leaving no covers for her. She felt his nudge to repeat what she said. She coughed lightly. "I want to see Kurama." She looked at Gray's face. Something was bothering her, and she left like letting it out. After all, his host was deceased, and so was his wife. Shini was the only one to contact, and let alone even see Kurama in his true form. And after the attack on Konoha, when the Hokaga gave up his life, only Shini could tame the beast. "So alone... and afraid..." She figured the fox would want answers, and Shini might be the only person in a thousand miles that had them. "... and you're going to help me."

Shini sighed, "The cute ones are always dumb." she said with a chuckle, "The Nine-Tailed Fox." She felt light explained the rest to him, but she wanted to let that sink in first. She wanted to get up to get ready, but something held her down. Her entire body sore. She felt tired and exhausted, but her mind was fully awake. Maybe she would go on this quest the next day. Or maybe this was the very thing that would push her to her limit. She could learn some new jutsu as an experiment on her own tired body. Just maybe.

Shini metaphorically facepalmed. This guy had to be joking... "All the jinjuriki died like last month. Last week we finally put them underground..." She let out a slow breath, "You really aren't from around here, are you?" She looked up at him, as he towered over her for the moment. She giggled, "Almost like you're out of this world." She blushed and looked away. She would have to tend to the demons. If Yamigakure didn't control them, then other Kingdoms could. She had no idea what was outside of her walls other than the home of Kaseki and Urban City. She hadn't stepped foot out of her city. Not yet at least... but maybe this would be the day.

"I meant he was buried." Shini said abruptly. She sat up and leaned against the wall of the bed. Maybe she would move back into the room. But that thought was for another day, "Top of the monument. Kurama sleeps there." She looked over at Gray, thinking about what to do. Maybe Kurama would like him. He was like Naruto in many ways, just... more Taijutsu than ninjutsu. "You're going to come... right?" she asked, her eyes fixated at the foot of the bed.

"Right..." Shini looked away, towards her feet. She needed to see how the beasts were doing. If they were okay. She remembered the stories a scout jonin told her just a few days ago, saying how there was a land of alien human monkeys. It was far-fetched, but in this new world, anything was possible... and that also made Son-Goku a target for this Kingdom of Kai. She was something short of a jinjuriki, only lacking a tailed beast. She had chakra that seemed to get stronger as she used it, almost as if there was a force pushing her jutsu even further than it already went. "G-... Get dressed. I have to arrange something before we go." In the back of her mind she wondered about the possibilities of the change of the world, and if they would run free. She couldn't take a chance.

Shini had to talk to him for help.

Shini smiled and looked over at him. She sat wearing just the same as she woke up. She blushed and met his eyes with hers. "Just Shini." She said. She rolled to her side and reached for the blanket, dragging it across the floor. She sat back up in the bed turning herself into a taco with the cover. "Until we meet again, Adviser Gray..." She said, bowing her head to the man, "Hopefully sooner than later." She slid back down into the bed. Her body was sore, and her thoughts racing again. She needed to see Kurama, but she knew she would have to face all of them.. all of the beasts. "W-W... We'll go another day." She said softly, her voice still hoarse. She had to secure the city, first.