Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.
Chapter 19 – Welcome to the Jungle
Barely two weeks had passed after Kira's mission with the Overdrive Rangers when another unexpected visitor arrived at the Oliver house. It was just after nightfall when the doorbell rang and Tommy opened it to reveal a man none of them had seen before, but reminded them greatly of Sensei Watanabe.
"Hi…" Tommy said hesitantly. "Can I help you?"
"You possess an Animal Spirit." Was all he said, putting Tommy immediately on edge.
"What are you…who are you?"
"Do you deny my claim?" Tommy stared the strange man down for a moment, letting his power out to feel his intentions before deciding he wasn't here to harm them. At least not yet.
"No I don't. Now who are you?"
"I am Master Mao of the Pai Zhuq Academy. I come seeking The Child of Power."
"Kim get Kira and Eric out of here now!" Tommy yelled through their bond as he fell into a fighting stance.
"How do you know about that?!" He growled menacingly. Whoever this guy was he knew far too much. The only people still alive who were supposed to know details of the prophecy, including Kira's title of The Child of Power, were either Ninjetti, Power Rangers, or a very trustworthy robot. This guy was an unknown entity and Tommy wasn't about to risk his family on the hope that his power hadn't been wrong about this guy's intentions.
"Eric's been teleported to the Command Centre but Kira and I aren't going anywhere until we know you're safe." Kim responded.
"He's after Kira, Kim, after The Child of Power. He knows Kim. He knows about the prophecy."
"And you think for one second that your daughter cares about that? She's a Ranger and just as stubborn as you. I'm not gonna be able to get her to go anywhere until she knows you're safe. And I'm not leaving you either." Tommy cursed his wife and daughter's stubbornness but stopped paying attention to his mate as Mao spoke.
"I promise you I am not here to harm anyone."
"You wouldn't be the first one to say that."
"I am certain I am not. But what I say is true. Perhaps this will help to convince you." Mao raised his hand and out shot an Animal Spirit, some kind of cat resembling a lynx. This didn't convince Tommy for he knew those with Animal Spirits could be evil, but it was his own Animal Spirit making an appearance without him summoning it that finally convinced him. The Falcon, and subsequently Tommy, sensed Mao's Animal Spirit was pure, and while the Spirit's bearer may be able to hide their evil nature, the Spirit itself could not for they were pure raw power from deep down inside a person; they had no façade, what you see with them is what you get.
"You really mean us no harm?" Tommy had to ask, even though the Falcon had given him his answer.
"No. I do not."
"Come in." Tommy said with a sigh, though no apology; he'd never apologize for being cautious when it came to his family. "If you're not here to hurt us then you must want to talk and we'll be more comfortable inside." Mao thanked him and Tommy led the Master into the living room where Kim and Kira were waiting.
"This is my wife Kimberly. And our daughter Kira." Tommy introduced. "This is Master Mao of…some academy…sorry I forget the name."
"Pai Zhuq Academy. And please do not apologize." He said as he took the seat Kim offered him. "I sense both of you have Animal Spirits. Though yours is particularly strong." He told Kira. "You must be The Child of Power."
"Yeah…so I get that dad wouldn't have let you in if he thought you were a threat, but I'm still confused how you know all that."
"Pai Zhuq, known also as the Order of the Claw, has been around for over six millions years. The Order was formed by a Ninjetti Warrior who came to this planet during the Ninjetti purges as it was far from any civilization in the universe and far from supporting intelligent life of its own. He aimed to train others in the ways of the Ninjetti so they would not die out, but quickly learned if he trained them to be Ninjetti, their energy signatures would draw the evil forces to them. So he altered their training and they became Pai Zhuq. We use Animal Spirits, but our energy signatures are not quite the same as Ninjetti Warriors and so we remained safe and hidden. As the Head Master of Pai Zhuq, the tale of our creation has been passed to me, along with the closely guarded secret of the Ninjetti Prophecy. Only I know of it in its entirety, though the High Council knows that one day The Child of Power will come forward. There are only three who are living who remain of the High Council." He explained, at least making some sense as to how he knew of the prophecy. He then turned to Kira and addressed her directly. "When your Animal Spirit was released, I became aware of your existence, that The Child of Power had been born, and have been searching for you ever since."
"But it's almost been four years since my Spirit was released. How could it have taken this long to find me?"
"The fact that you are a true Ninjetti, and not Pai Zhuq, made my search for you more difficult. Your energy signature as Ninjetti is different from any I have come across, and there is something else in it, warping it further. Also I was convinced for a time that you did not reside on this planet. All those things have slowed my search."
"Ah, well the off planet part will probably be due to my Spirit being released on a different planet, and not Earth." Kira explained. "The further warping of my energy signature I'm not certain on, but good chance it's because I'm a Power Ranger."
"Kira!" Kim scolded.
"Oh come on! He knows about the prophecy. You really think he's gonna go blabbing about me being a Power Ranger when he's got the prophecy to blab about if he so chooses?"
"She's got a point you know." Tommy said, and Kim had to concede that Kira was right. Their discussion was then interrupted by the arrival of Connor who had rushed out of a practice after pretending to get a phone call about a family emergency.
"Sorry I'm late." He said, though thankful his absence hasn't made him fall behind thanks to his and Kira's bond. "I'm Connor." He introduced himself to Mao and took a seat next to Kira.
"You two are true mates." Mao said after staring at them for only about fifteen seconds.
"Have you gotten an answer as to how he just knows stuff like that?" Connor asked Kira. "We've been hiding it for almost four years, then he comes along and knows within fifteen seconds!"
"No, haven't gotten an answer on that yet." Kira replied before turning to Mao.
"I may be Pai Zhuq and not Ninjetti, but I am a Master of Pai Zhuq. Both orders call on the powers of Animal Spirits, and even if our training and use of Animal Spirits is different, the Spirits themselves are the same. As a Master I am fully in tune with Animal Spirits and can sense things through them. Just as I sensed when your Animal Spirit was released, so too can I sense when two Spirits are true mates."
"True mates? There's a difference in mates, and only some are true mates?" Tommy asked.
"Yes. True mates are those that are fated to be together. They will always find each other and cannot live without the other for they are two halves of one whole. Then there is the infinitely more common kind of mates who are bound together, not by fate, but simply by their love for each other; though that does not make them any less of mates then those bound by fate."
"Yeah, I think we know what you're getting at." Kim said. Kira and Connor, her and Tommy were true mates, they really were fated to be together, whereas Trini and Jason, Billy and Kat, Zack and Angela, and so many others were mates purely by choice, but that didn't mean that they loved each other less.
"You two are true mates as well." Mao said. "I think. There is something there that I cannot identify, but I would still call you true mates."
"Yeah we know what that other thing is." Tommy grumbled as he and Kim remembered back to the spell he'd placed on Kim all those years ago, the foreign element in their bond. "You'll forgive us if we don't tell you what it is though." Mao had known instantly with Kira and Connor for their bond, while very similar to Tommy and Kim's, was completely natural, and created through no actions of their own, but by fate itself, whereas Tommy had altered his and Kim's bond, it was not a natural occurrence.
"Of course." Mao conceded to Tommy's wish not to speak of it. "Now, to the reason I have sought you out in the first place. I would like to offer you, both of you," He amended for Connor, now knowing The Child had a true mate, he couldn't separate them. "A place at the Pai Zhuq Academy."
"You want us to become Pai Zhuq?" Kira asked, not having expected this.
"I want to train you in how to use your Animal Spirits to their fullest potential. And from my understanding, there are no Ninjetti left to be able to train you."
"There's one Ninjetti left." Connor said. "She helped us release our Spirits. But if she could have trained us, she would have mentioned it at that time."
"Willing to train, yeah." Said Kira. "But I have school, Connor has a job…"
"Where is the Academy?" Kim asked.
"Near the town of Ocean Bluff. It is in a part of the forest surrounding the town that has been protected by the power of the Ninjetti, and then Pai Zhuq, for millions of years. It remains a jungle and inaccessible to any without a released Animal Spirit, unless I, as the Head Master, allow them entry, which usually only happens with our new recruits."
"Ocean Bluff, that's here in California." Said Tommy. "Only about…six hours away, if I'm not mistaken."
"About that, yes." Mao agreed.
"Can we talk about it for a minute?" Kira asked, taking Connor's hand and leading him outside and down to the stream, where most important conversations seemed to happen.
"What are your thoughts?" Kira asked after a moment.
"I think it's a really great opportunity. And an important one. We have a destiny to fulfill and learning about our Animal Spirits can only help."
"But we also make our own destiny." Kira said. "The one laid out for us shouldn't supersede the one we want. And I know you want to play pro soccer. The L.A. Galaxy has asked you to join them for two years straight now, and I know you've only been turning them down because of me."
"If I accept their offer, I'll have to move to L.A., training will be more intense and games will take place all over the country, I'll be gone for days, maybe even weeks at a time."
"And you can't do that because of me…"
"Maybe after we first bonded I would have thought that way. But now, I don't want to do it because of you. Not can't, won't." Kira smiled sadly at him and allowed herself to be pulled into a hug. "What about you?" Connor asked. "What's your destiny?"
"My destiny is to fulfill the prophecy and hope it comes to pass sooner rather then later, cause I want my life to be my own."
"So the destiny laid out for you supersedes the one you want, but not mine? And you're wrong, it's our destiny to fulfill the prophecy. We've already established that you can't do it without me."
"None of this solves the problem of what we're gonna do about Pai Zhuq training." Kira changed the subject, not going unnoticed by Connor, though he let it slide.
"I think you should go." He said finally.
"What?" Kira gasped. "Me? As in me alone?"
"Yeah. You heard Dr. O, Ocean Bluff isn't far. I can drive up for weekends, and you're about three seconds away via teleportation if something happens."
"But…what about school?"
"Do you really want to go back to school with those immature teenagers?" Connor asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, but how long would I be gone? Am I moving there permanently?"
"That's something we'll have to ask Master Mao." Connor said as he led her back inside.
"I'm not coming. But Kira might." Connor started. "When would she need to leave? How long would she be gone?"
"She can start her training whenever she wants." Mao answered. "Perhaps, this summer, after school has ended for the year?" Kira nodded in acceptance.
"And how long would I be gone?"
"That depends on you. Everyone's training is different and takes longer or shorter amounts of time depending on the individual. I have never heard of training taking less then one year, and only very rarely is it that short, normally it takes three or four years, but you are The Child of Power, you are different then the others, and you have already released your Animal Spirit, meaning you would be able to skip those lessons."
"Mom? Dad? What do you think?"
"We think it's useful training, and anything that gives you an edge in what's to come is alright by us." Said Tommy.
"But why don't we start with the summer?" Kim suggested. "It'll be like summer camp. In August we'll decide if you're coming home, and if not what can be done to ensure you don't miss school, but can still train. Would that be acceptable, Master Mao?"
"Of course."
"Then it's settled. Kira will train with you for the summer, then we'll go from there." Mao nodded and stood preparing to leave.
"I shall return in late June, to bring you to the Academy. Goodbye until then."
-C/K-
The final two months of the school year passed by in a haze for Kira and before she knew it, Master Mao had returned to bring her to the Academy. She said goodbye to her parents and brother, who cried profusely when he learned his big sister would be gone for the entire summer, and left with Mao and Connor, who would accompany them to see the Academy and how to enter it should he ever need to visit. They arrived within moments, thanks to a vanishing act Mao was capable of that was similar to teleportation. The Academy was amazing, surrounded by a jungle which California's climate should not be capable of supporting, though Kira supposed millions of years ago the world was different enough that it could have, and Ninjetti and Pai Zhuq power had merely preserved it. The Academy itself was on the top of a small mountain, which was levelled out at the top to accommodate the Academy, and was hidden by the numerous trees that surrounded it, offering an air of mystery which Kira and Connor both found appropriate. Connor said goodbye on the edge of the plateau at Master Mao's request; he was the only one to know of the prophecy and he didn't want the other Master's to ask questions as to why he let in an individual who wasn't here for training. Once he'd teleported out, Kira followed Mao further onto the plateau where students and Masters alike were all training.
"At Pai Zhuq, we teach a generic Kung Fu to all our students. Usually this is taught before they have found their Animal Spirits." Mao began explaining. "After their Spirit has been released, more specialized and largely individual, training begins. Pai Zhuq teaches a person to find their Animal Spirit's own fighting style, or technique as we call them; the Elephant Technique, the Bat Technique, the Shark Technique, and so on and so forth. Beings with the same Animal Spirit are rare, more so to be alive at the same time. For example, my Spirit is that of a Caracal. Within my lifetime there has been no other with the Spirit of the Caracal, but that does not mean that there never was, or never will be again. I never did ask, what is your Animal Spirit? And that of your mate?"
"I'm the Cheetah. Connor's the Lion." Mao stopped in his tracks and looked quite surprised at that, before it melted away into an amused expression.
"I stand corrected apparently. I tell you that two beings with the same Animal Spirit is rare, more so to have two within the same life time, yet we have two students who's Spirits are the Cheetah and Lion. And what is more shocking, is that they too, are true mates." Not having known before now that having the same Animal Spirit was rare, this news did not surprise Kira nearly as much as it apparently should, though perhaps that had something to do with her being a Ranger, as nothing ever really surprised her anymore.
"Here are your quarters." Mao said, breaking into Kira's thoughts. This, of all things, surprised her, for she hadn't realized they'd entered the building until now. "You will find a uniform inside. Please take some time to settle in and change. I shall return in an hour to collect you to start your training." Kira thanked him and entered the small room, seeing that it looked quite comfortable. She even had her own bathroom, though whether this was what all the rooms looked like or whether she was getting special treatment she wasn't sure, though, as she looked around as Mao led her through the halls an hour later, she suspected that was what all the rooms looked like; unless there was another thousand students hiding somewhere, then this place was certainly big enough to accommodate them all.
"Ah, here we are." Mao said coming to a stop, Kira stopping beside him, looking at the two students who were sparring. One was a girl, about a head taller then Kira, though that wasn't hard to do as she still only stood at five feet exactly, with long brown hair and kind features, while the other was a male who looked almost as tall as Connor with short brown hair and harsh features in comparison to his companion's.
"Jarrod, Lily." Mao called with a clap of his hands. The two stopped immediately, obviously used to this kind of interruption, and turned to face him, bowing to their Master in a show of respect.
"How may we help you, Master?" Jarrod asked politely, his harsh features drastically softening now that he was no longer in deep concentration and battle mode.
"This is Kira, a new recruit, though she comes to us with some training already." He introduced and the two bowed in greeting, Kira bowing in return. "Though when I say some, I should amend that she will be taking classes with the two of you and the other senior students."
"Master?" Lily asked confused. To the best of her knowledge this had never happened before.
"She is already an exceptional martial artist," Kira wondered how he knew that, for she could not remembering him being there any time she fought, or if he was just guessing. "And has released her Animal Spirit."
"Before joining Pai Zhuq?" Jarrod asked, both he and Lily quite confused now.
"Yes. I cannot go into detail about why or how, suffice it to say that Kira is unique. And I expect you, and the other students, to respect my wishes in this matter and let it be."
"Of course Master." The two murmured.
"Good. Now the reason I have brought her to you today is because I also wish you, Lily, to train with her. You will find you share an Animal Spirit."
"You have the Spirit of the Cheetah too?" Lily asked, now quite excited, if not still confused. Kira nodded and Lily's smile widened. "I've never heard of two beings having the same Spirit. At least not at the same time."
"It is indeed quite rare." Mao agreed. "But obviously not impossible. Now I will leave you. Please see to it that she settles in and makes it to class this afternoon." Lily and Jarrod nodded and bowed once more, Kira joining them, as Mao gave a small smile and walked off.
"I'm Lily, don't know if Master Mao told you that." Lily introduced.
"Not directly, though I heard him call your names. It's nice to meet you both."
"You as well." Said Jarrod, shaking her hand. "Forgive me but…you look quite young to have already to released your Spirit."
"Jarrod!" Lily hissed, elbowing him in the stomach.
"It's ok, really." Kira laughed. "I am pretty young, I'm thirteen. But as Master Mao said, I'm…unique."
"Well why don't we jump right in and see what you can do?" Lily suggested. Kira agreed and the two began to spar, Jarrod sitting off to the side watching. It became clear pretty quickly that Kira was a match for Lily in terms of pure martial arts skill, but having been at Pai Zhuq for years now, Lily had far more control of her Animal Spirit. When the fight was clearly going to go on for a long time, Lily summoned her Spirit and used it to attack Kira. Normally, the other person would also release their Spirit and the two would go at it just as their partners did, but Kira did not have that kind of control over her Spirit yet and so simply dodged the attack.
"What was that?" She asked once Lily had recalled her Spirit.
"Our Animal Spirits, they can be used in battle." Lily explained.
"I can't do that yet." Kira said. "I can summon my Spirit, but it takes a bit of coaxing for her to come out in a physical form."
"Can I see?" Lily asked and Kira nodded, closing her eyes and speaking with Nala, asking her to make an appearance. After a few moments, Kira began to glow a yellow colour and her Cheetah appeared not long after.
"She's beautiful." Said Lily, earning a purr from the Cheetah. "I've never seen a Spirit this strong before at this stage in training. It's like you've only just released your Spirit, and have yet begun to learn to work with it, but it's so clear, so bright."
"She's unique." Jarrod parroted both Mao and Kira with a smirk. The two continued to work together, largely on their fighting, until the afternoon class. Until Kira gained more control over her Spirit there was little that Lily could teach her in terms of the Cheetah Technique.
-C/K-
Nearly a month passed in which Kira spent much time in meditation, connecting with her Animal Spirit on a deeper level, or at least so her teachers thought. Kira actually had little patience with prolonged meditation and since she could speak with Nala directly, it was more them needing to learn to work together as partners then connecting with her even more. Connor had not come to visit, having intense practices as the season began to get in full swing, while Kira hadn't had the chance to visit either. After a few years, they could now spend that amount of time apart, but not without it costing them. Both had been getting weaker and weaker until the point where Connor got sent home for a few days as the coach said it was obvious he was sick and he'd do the team no good playing like that, and Kira collapsed during class, coming to in the infirmary with Jarrod and Lily, and Lily's best friend Theo, the three Kira had grown closest to during her time here, hovering over her.
"Thank god you're alright!" Lily cried, pulling the younger woman into a bone crushing hug.
"Lily let her breathe." Theo chided. The two had been best friends since they were children, and so when one had been approached to join Pai Zhuq for having the potential to release their Animal Spirit, which Pai Zhuq, like Ninjetti, acknowledged everyone possessed, though not necessarily had the potential to release their Spirit, the other had begged to come to, and the pure determination allowed for that potential to come forward. Both had arrived two years ago, and within the first week Lily's path crossed with Jarrod, who had been there for a couple months already, and the two had immediately bonded as mates.
"Why didn't you tell us you were bonded?!" Jarrod demanded, having become pretty protective of Kira as his mate had taken the younger woman under her wing, and so by default he did too.
"I didn't think it mattered…" Kira mumbled.
"Not mattered? Your bond is obviously not complete-" Lily started
"It better not be! She's thirteen!" both Jarrod and Theo growled. Theo did not feel nearly the extent of protectiveness that Jarrod did, but there were some things that just demanded certain responses. They didn't find it weird that a young teenager, or even a child, could have a mate, they were told very early in their training that Animal Spirits may find their mate, no matter what age their partners were, but a completed mating bond for one so young was unheard of, and something everyone thought should not happen.
"As I was saying," Lily growled back at the boys, who cowered under her glare. "You're bond isn't complete, you and your mate can't be apart for this long."
"Yeah, he's not fairing much better." Kira muttered. "Just teleport here." She said through their bond. "Teleport into my room before coming to the infirmary and say that Mao brought you here. He'll cover for us if anyone asks." Connor didn't need anymore persuading and did just that, using Kira's memory of the place as a map and rushing into the infirmary, arriving seconds later and pulling her into his arms, both breathing a sigh of relief.
"Guys this is Connor." Kira introduced after a moment, when they both regained the ability to think and speak. "My mate. Connor this is Jarrod, Lily and Theo." She said completely for their benefit and not Connor's.
"Hi, nice to meet you guys." Connor said. The offered similar sentiments and left the two alone for a bit, returning at dinner time to take them both to the hall. Connor was getting weird looks from everyone, being not only a new face but the only one either not in Master's robes or a student uniform. A quick explanation to those sitting closest to them would see it spread fast to everyone else and hopefully the looks would disappear; except they only got worse.
"I've never heard of only one mate having an Animal Spirit." Another senior student commented.
"I have an Animal Spirit." Connor replied, earning a mental smack from Kira.
"Now they're gonna wonder why you're not at Pai Zhuq, and how you've released your Spirit without training." She told him.
"So? We'll tell them I'm unique like you." With no better plan Kira conceded.
"You do?" The boy asked. "What's your Spirit?"
"The Lion."
"You have the Spirit of the Lion?" Jarrod asked, shocked just as Lily had been. "So do I."
"Wow, how rare is that?" Theo asked. "Not only is there now two sets of beings with the same Animal Spirits, but they're both mates as well."
"Yeah, rare." Kira agreed and thankfully the conversation stopped as everyone began to chow down. As was always the case at dinner, everyone was starving from an entire day of exhaustive training, and so dinner was a quiet affair. Afterwards, Mast Mao approached them and asked Kira and Connor to follow him.
"Yes, you three may as well come too." He added to Lily, Jarrod and Theo. Master Mao was deciding where to put Connor for the few days that he'd be there, and had basically decided on with Kira, knowing that with the bond of true mates, nothing would happen until their Animal Spirits decided so, and no Animal Spirit would decide so while one was still physically this young, especially with the age gap.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Both Kira and Connor said when they figured out his intentions. Not only were both embarrassed by the thought of sharing a room, and a bed since there only was one, but there was Tommy and Kim to think about.
"Don't think mom and dad would be too happy with us sharing."
"And I'm terrible at hiding things from Dr. and Mrs. O so they would find out." Connor added. Even with Kira not there, Connor was still a regular at the Oliver house. After nearly four years they'd all gotten used to it, not to mention that three-year-old Eric adored Connor like a big brother.
"He can share with me, Master." Jarrod suggested.
"Very well then. I shall have a mat sent for him to sleep on."
"Also, Master?" Jarrod asked, continuing when Mao signalled him to do so. "If Connor is willing, and with your permission of course, I would like to train him in the Lion Technique while he is with us."
"You may." Mao said, quite pleased, for he had wanted both Kira and Connor to learn to control their Spirits better. Over the next three days Lily and Kira and Jarrod and Connor trained together. By the end of the three days, Kira and Connor were feeling tip top shape again, and Connor had no reason to stay longer, except he was making great progress with his Spirit, the speed of which shocked Jarrod. Like Kira, Connor could talk to Simba and so they too merely had to learn to work together, not connect more. Connor agreed to stay for a bit longer, privately using his communicator to contact Kim and Tommy who in turn contacted his parents who called his coach and said he had been admitted to hospital and was on bed rest for another week. Although not technically Ranger business, he knew Dana would write him a doctor's note as proof, and he had the perfect excuse for having a Power Ranger as his doctor in the form of his uncle, General McKnight, who knew Captain Mitchell. This was all true, and his coach need never know that the Captain and Lightspeed Rangers, or any Ranger for that matter, weren't on good terms with his uncle. Connor stayed nearly two weeks in total before he really did have to get back. During that time he'd made significant progress to the point where Jarrod deemed him a force to be reckoned with when fighting with his Animal Spirit, though only passable in the actual form of the Lion Technique. Connor could live with this and promised to return for a weekend in a couple weeks, neither he nor Kira wanting things to get that bad again. With a quick stop at the Olivers' along the way to pick up his note, which they'd gotten from Dana for him, Connor booked it to the stadium for that day's practice, happy to see that not only was his return greeted with warmth and joy, but his coach was so happy to have one of his star players back before the big game in three days that he completely waved off the note.
-C/K-
Another month passed in similar fashion to the first, though with the promised frequent visits from Connor. August 18th, and Kira's fourteenth birthday, arrived and somehow her friends had found out, she suspected Connor had blabbed, for she certainly hadn't, and she awoke that day to all three of them standing around her bed wearing big smiles and holding out a small cake, which they'd made by sneaking into the kitchens the night before. Although she outwardly appeared annoyed that they found out it was her birthday, to which they told her to suck it up, she was actually quite touched that after only two months they cared enough to go to the trouble. She spent an enjoyable day training and that evening Connor came and kidnapped her for an hour, taking her to the Command Centre, where her family waited with presents and an ice cream cake, which Kira loved, not having had ice cream in two months. It didn't last long, she was technically breaking the rules by leaving the Academy without permission, but she greatly enjoyed seeing her family again for she'd never gone this long without them.
Three days later everything changed. Lily, Jarrod and Theo had been chosen by Master Mao to compete against three other senior students for a great honour, though none of them knew exactly what that honour was. They'd sat in meditation in the main courtyard all night, Kira had seen them when she'd gone to bed and again when she woke up, but other then that she waited to hear from them when it was over. She was training alone when a Cub, what the new recruits that weren't Kira were called, ran up to her. She recognized him as Casey, a man a few years older then her who'd come to the Academy only a few weeks ago.
"Kira, Master Mao needs you now!" He cried, before taking off. Dreading what it could be, and somehow knowing that it wasn't good, Kira ran off after Casey, following him deep into the Academy's Temple and down deep into its bowels. The room was clearly a shrine of some kind, though it had also clearly been desecrated recently. But none of that mattered when Kira laid eyes on Theo who was kneeling beside Mast Mao who was lying prone on the alter.
"Master Mao!" Kira cried, rushing to his side. He was barely breathing, obviously not going to last much longer, and there was nothing she could do to help him. "What happened?" She demanded of Theo, who merely shook his head.
"Listen…" Mao mumbled, unable to speak louder. "I do not have much time, so listen carefully. It has happened, Dai Shi has escaped. The three of you must stop him."
"M-me?" Casey stammered from behind them. "But I'm just a Cub! I haven't even mastered handing out towels yet!" Whatever was going on, Casey knew more about it then Kira, and it was bad enough to scare him and make him believe he wasn't strong enough.
"Do not worry…you will succeed…you must. Evacuate the Academy, then go into Ocean Bluff…to a place called Jungle Karma Pizza. There you will find your new master. He shall continue your training…and Theo and Casey shall explain all to you…" He added to Kira who nodded. "Now you must go…quickly, there isn't much time…Dai Shi will return and the Academy must be empty when he does…or all shall perish." Having said his piece, Master Mao closed his eyes for the last time. The three sat there for a moment before Kira snapped out of it. This wasn't new to her. Whoever this Dai Shi was, he was bad news and would kill anyone who got in his way, just like Mesogog. However unfortunate it may be, she was once again in familiar territory.
"Come on. We have work to do." She said, pulling Theo and Casey out of their reverie, Theo hearing the hard, determined edge in her voice, which he'd never heard before.
"But what can we do?" Casey demanded. "Against Dai Shi?"
"There's a lot we can do." Kira assured him. "But we're gonna start with what Master Mao told us to do. We're going to evacuate the Academy and then seek out our new Master." She stood and went back to the entranceway turning when she didn't hear their footfalls behind her. "Come on! There isn't time for this! You can be comatose from shock later." The two nodded and ran after her, none of them noticing as Master Mao's body disappeared, his spirit, both his human one and his Animal Spirit, being released and becoming one with The Great Power.
A/N - Yay the beginning of Jungle Fury! And yes those who guessed if Kira would take over as the Yellow Jungle Fury Ranger were correct! They'll get their Morphers and we'll meet RJ next chapter. I'm very excited for the Jungle Fury arc, it brings things together more what with Pai Zhuq being kind of like a branch of the Ninjetti, and as I've said in the past, I love connecting things together like this.
I also have a lot more to play with in terms of Kira and Connor's relationship, what with her growing up, and, if you read the early chapters of The Winged Lord and Lady closely enough, you'll know she's now the same age Kim and Tommy were at the beginning of that story. Their relationship will be changing drastically in this arc, but it's not gonna happen fast or anything, there's at least five chapters before anything of true consequence happens.
Review please!