As promised, here is the first chapter of Jungle Fury! This will explain how Ari joins the Pai Zhuq academy and learns how to control her animal spirit! Sorry it's a little on the short side, I will update by the end of the weekend (if I'm not too busy with my sister's baby shower!)

Anyway, enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Transfer

The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains and the birds were singing the dawn chorus in the trees of the forest that covered the mountain. Moving so quietly that not even the birds noticed, the young woman just out of her teenage years suppressed a wide yawn. Pushing her black hair from her face, Ari stepped out into a clearing. The pale sun shimmered on the lake that rested in the middle of the clearing, and despite how tired she was, Ari couldn't help but smile at the familiar sight.

She stepped onto the lake, causing small ripples to flow around her. She walked along the lake as if walking along solid ground, and passed through the light that flickered to life in the middle of the lake. Ari stepped through the portal to the Celestial Ninja Academy, where the morning light was slowly illuminating the school.

"Ari!" it wasn't long after she reached the school grounds that she was almost tackled off her feet in a bear hug.

"Morning Derek," Ari chuckled as she hugged the Moon Ninja back. After she had helped to save him and his four brothers, along with the rest of the Celestial and other Ninja Academies, from their prison on Lothor's ship, they had regarded her as family. "So where's your dad? I'd like to ask him what is so important that it warrants being up at the crack of dawn," she smiled as he released her.

"He's in his office with Zoe," Derek told her with a grin. Thanking him, Ari turned and headed towards the rebuild building. "And be careful, my baby sister been super crabby since she entered her final month!" he warned, making Ari laugh loudly.

After knocking on the door, Ari opened it and peered into the office that was filled with scrolls and artefacts gathered over the years related to Celestial Ninjas. In a box on the shelf, sat the two morphers that had belonged to Ari and Zoe several years before.

"Ari, I'm glad you could make it," Sensei Sugiura smiled widely at the Sun Ninja as she walked in.

"I'm surprised you made it," Zoe chuckled from her seat beside the desk. Her hands rested on her swollen stomach as she smiled up at the girl she saw as her younger sister.

"I think we all are," Hunter smirked as he walked over and hugged the lanky girl.

"Careful there Hunter," Ari warned lightly as she hugged him back. "Your wife may be pregnant, but you are not. I can still use my powers on you," she told the Thunder Ninja, who just laughed and messed up her hair as he walked back over to Zoe. "So what's up Sensei? Why'd you call me in?" she asked curiously. Despite being in contact and visiting regularly, Ari was no teacher, nor did she do any work for them.

"I have a request for you," Sensei Sugiura told her from his seat behind the desk. "Have you ever heard of The Order of the Claw?" he asked her, and Ari frowned.

"No. What's that?" she asked.

"Finally, something Ari doesn't know," Hunter taunted, and dove aside as Ari let loose an energy-ball that slammed into the wall behind him.

"You were warned," Zoe smirked as he looked up, frowning a little.

"The Order of the Claw are a group who use their animal spirits in their style of fighting," Sensei Sugiura told Ari, ignoring their antics. "They run a sister school to ours, that teaches their students the art of Pai Zhuq," he explained. Ari remained silent, wondering just what this had to do with her. "Recently, we have come into contact with them, and have decided to form a friendship with them. In order to do this, we have agreed to send a Ninja over to them, and they will send one of their own over here," Ari's frown grew. She knew where this was going.

"And you want to send me," she summed up. Sensei Sugiura nodded.

"None of my students would suit this task. They are all very happy in their places here. That's why I wanted to send you," he told her. "You would make an excellent representation," Sensei Sugiura told her, and hearing a scoff, Ari lit another energy-ball in her hand as a warning to Hunter.

"I wanted to go, but 'in my condition' I can't," Zoe rolled her eyes.

"You're one week past your due date," Hunter pointed out, and Zoe frowned. Ari grinned as she looked from the ex-Silver Ranger, and back at Sensei Sugiura.

"So uh, what do I have to do?" she asked the headmaster.

Under the watchful eye of the headteacher of the Pai Zhuq academy, Master Mao, Ari was moving slowly, attempting to forget her years of training as not only a Sun Ninja, but a Mystic Warrior. In order to follow the way of her animal spirit and bond with it, she had to start from the beginning.

It had been a week since she had arrived at the Pai Zhuq temple, and still she had had no luck. After 9 years, the way of the Sun Ninja was instinctual to her. Master Mao had told her to be patient. Most new students were young and had no previous experience, allowing them to find their animal spirits much easier.

Moving her arms as she moved fluidly around the room, Ari tried not to think. At first she'd attempted to resist the way she had practised before, but Master Mao had instructed her to do what felt natural, and it would come to her. To resist and think about her next move was not the way to release her spirit.

As she forced herself not to think about her struggles, Ari's mind wandered away from the Pai Zhuq temple that she was residing in. She wondered just how long she'd be away from her family and her friends, not to mention her career as a skateboarder. While the company she was signed up with were lax regarding how often she went to demo's thanks to Andrew Hartford's involvement, Ari didn't want to be away from her dream job longer than she had to.

Master Mao watched as Ari completely let her instincts take over. He gave a small nod to himself, knowing that Ari's mind was focused on other things, other than worrying about what she was doing. While some of her moves were still those that she had learned before arriving at the temple, some were completely new for the girl, yet completely natural.

Moving around the equipment that helped the newer students train their spirits, Ari was completely in the zone, and a golden light flickered to life around her. She gained speed, and began to jump around the room, spinning and kicking as well as throwing punches and kicks. The faintest of smiles graced Master Mao's face. She'd finally done it.

"Master Mao," Ari's eyes darted to the doorway as a voice disrupted her focus. Having been spinning midair, Ari lost her balance and tumbled to the floor.

"Yes Jarrod?" the Master turned to the young man who was scowling at Ari as she groaned, rolling onto her back.

"More of the new recruits are arriving," Jarrod announced as Ari sat up, looking up at him curiously. She'd been one of the earliest of the new recruits to arrive, and by far the oldest. Because of that, she'd not had the opportunity to meet the others. Unfortunately for her, she had had the opportunity to meet Jarrod. He was one of the strongest students in the temple, and had been there the longest. However, he was a bully, pushing around the younger students, and because of that, he and Ari had clashed, resulting in him ending up face down in the dirt, and both of them being punished for fighting.

"Thank you Jarrod," Master Mao nodded to the Lion Cub, who turned and left. "That was great work Ariel," the Master then turned to the ex-Ranger as she stood up. "You have finally unlocked your animal spirit," he told her, and Ari brightened, ignoring his use of her full first name.

"Awesome, what is it?" she asked, bubbling with excitement that she couldn't contain. For a week now she'd been wondering just what her animal spirit would be. She'd seen various kinds already, mostly feline related, but there had been other spirits, all of which had been powerful, fierce animals.

"You have the spirit of the Sparrow," Master Mao told her, and Ari visibly deflated.

"The...Sparrow?" she repeated, blinking several times. "Really?" she asked, hoping that he was not telling the truth. She could tell, however, that Master Mao was completely serious.

"Do not view this as a bad thing, young cub," Master Mao told her calmly. "The Sparrow may be small, but she is certainly not weak. She does not rely on strength, nor does she believe that strength is true power. The Sparrow is not confined by conventional thinking, which is what allows her to survive," he explained, and his description rang true for Ari, who had always relied on her speed, rather than pure power. "Now go. With practice, you will be able to harness her power. And remember, our animal spirits do not make us strong, but rather we make them stronger," Master Mao told the girl.

"Thank you, Master," Ari bowed to him in the traditional style of the Pai Zhuq – which was still strange to her – and left.

Ari couldn't believe her spirit. While what Master Mao had told her had lightened her disappointment, she couldn't believe that she had such a small creature for her spirit. She had expected a bird of sorts, but after having a swan represent the Sun Ninjas, and a Griffin for a Titan form, she'd expected something a little grander than a common garden bird.

"I got my animal spirit today!" she overheard a couple of the new students talking excitedly as she passed the common area where the students took their breaks.

"What did you get?" another asked as Ari took a seat under a tree, pulling a book out.

"I got a polar bear!" the first boy exclaimed with a proud smile.

"Wow!" the second boy gushed as Ari tried not to listen to them. "I got a hippo!" he told his friend.

"Oh wow really? That's so cool!" a girl had joined their conversation. "I've got a hyena!" she boasted as more of the new students spoke up, declaring their animal spirits. With a small sigh, Ari stood up and shoved her book into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. She walked away, but instead of heading back to the dorms, Ari returned to the training area.

"I make my spirit stronger..." she muttered as she tossed her bag into the corner. "I may not have a cool or strong spirit, but I'm going to make her the best," Ari spoke with determination.

"What is your spirit then?" she glanced around to see Jarrod smirking at her from the doorway.

"That's none of your business," Ari told him, turning away and beginning to practice.

"I am a senior student, show me some respect," Jarrod growled at her, not liking her attitude. Ari still didn't look at him as she moved around fluidly.

"I'll show you some respect..." she kicked up and moved around the wooden pillar. "When you earn it," Ari told him, and Jarrod growled again. He seemed torn between fighting with her again, and leaving it. He didn't want to get in trouble with Master Mao again. Ari seemed to have stopped paying attention to him, and with her focus on following her animal spirit's guidance, he had a clear shot at taking her down. However, instead, he turned and stormed out.

Ari glanced over her shoulder at his retreating back, and sighed. She'd forgotten about bullies who stayed at the top by intimidating the newer students. Shaking her head and deciding to worry about Jarrod later, Ari chose to focus on her moves instead. The Sparrow was the spirit she had, and whining wasn't going to change that. So, she would embrace it instead.

Again, sorry it's a little on the short side!

I'll update by Sunday at the latest!

Please review!