Episode 6 – Sarabis challenge - part 2

At the next morning, Kiara and Vitani were straight heading forward to the Girl Rock. Kiara felt awesome, unlike Vitani who kept awake by Nuka all night.

"Come on, you have to see the positiv things, Vitani!", Kiara said excited.
"And, these are..?"
"Well, your brother's back."
"Yeah. Inside me. Grrrreat."
"That's okay, we're lions."
"Kiara. Please. Stop talking for a while."
"Okidoki!", Kiara said, closed her mouth and just walked happily next to Vitani, who enjoyed the silence around her.
"Gooood morning!", Nuka yelled in Vitanis ear, when he suddenly appeared above her. Vitani jumped in the air as a result of fear and screamed. When she landed back on the ground, she saw Kiara laughing heartfully without making any noise.
"How did you sleep?", Nuka asked and came with his face closer to Vitanis face, with every secound.
"One hour out of eight, with sand in my ears."
"Why did you have sand in your ears?"
"I don't know...I felt like doing it."
"Oh Vitani, you were always the crazy one.", Nuka said and made Kiara collapse on the ground. Vitani sighed heavily and started walking forward again.

At the same time, Kovu laid in front of Simba. He tried to breathe as much as possible to survive, after running away from the Gnus for 2 hours.
"So...how's your stamina now, Kovu?"
"You...are asking...this for hours...let me recover already, Simba!...Pleeeease!"
"Fine! I hope my plan worked out. I can't wait to fight Sarabi at her full potential."
"You know...protracted training would help me more...than this torture."
"Protracted?! How long do you think I wanna train with you?! I'm sick of you already!"
"You're...always sick of me."
"Hey, that's...actually you're right. But I need this to be finished fast, so recover now. Maybe that's enough.", Simba said and walked away. Kovu closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly. After some minutes, Simba came back and sat down in front of him.
"The moment you will wake up, the moment we will continue.", Simba said to himself and watched Kovu for several hours, until he opened an eye.
"Ki...Kiara?", Kovu said drowzy and tried to lick Simbas paw. Simba pulled his paw back and punched Kovu with it.
"Hey! What is wrong with you?!", he said angrily like always when he talks to Kovu.
"I...I...thought you were Kiara..."
"And I thought you were smarter than that! See? I thought positiv about you and you messed it up!"

"Sorry! But I think I recovered!...Pretty fast I guess to be honest."
"As long as you have Sarabis spirit, your body is stronger in general. Let's hope you're already ready. I don't wanna spend more time with you."
"Me neither...", Kovu murmured.
"What's that supposed to mean?!", Simba roared at Kovu. When Kovu twitched, his body started glowing again and Sarabis face appeared in the sky.
"Looks like you literally tortured my vessel to fight me.", she said smiling from above.
"Vessel? Hey, I'm still here. I can hear you!", Kovu tried to throw in but got ignored like always. Simba looked at her mother and nodded.
"Yes, I tried everything to prepare him. How's his stamina now?"
"I think...he'll survive. Yes, there is no real danger for him."

"You mean until I get him between my claws.", Simba said self-assured, until suddenly Sarabi started laughing.
"Wha...what's so funny?!", he asked and waited for her to stop.
"Oh Simba, you did well against Zerrath and even trained since then...but you have no idea what you're about to face in a moment.", she said and disappeared with a smile. Simba walked some steps away from Kovu and swallowed unsettled.
"I don't like where this is going.", Kovu said right before his body started glowling like never before and a bright light came out of his mout and eyes. The light got brighter with every secound, that Simba had to look away and close his eyes at some point. After a half minute, Simba opened his eyes again and looked at Kovu who stood on dead ground. The gras and flowers around him vanished in a ten meter big radius. When Kovu first opened his mouth, a lot of black steam came out of it.
"So many...disappointments.", Sarabi said in the mix out of her and Kovus voice. She raised his head and looked at Simba with red glowing eyes.

"So much...humiliation." Sarabi smashed his now larger tail on the ground and caused a little hole in it.
"And so much anger.", she said and got into position to attack Simba.
"I thought that Kovu was just an idiot who didn't really get it when you insult him, but I was wrong. Everytime you insulted him, it looks like it really hurt him. He tried to do better, but you never gave him a chance. He's full of unused anger and now I'm able to use this strength against you. I'll do what Kovu never could!", she said and bared his teeth at Simba.
"Thanks, mom."
"Let's see if I can make you regret how you treated Kovu."
"Hm, probably not."

At the same time, Vitani and Kiara could see the Girl Rock again.
"You know, Rafikis tree isn't that far away, but we walked for a pretty long time. Did something slow us down?", Kiara asked and raised an eyebrow at Vitani.
"I...kinda have an idea."
"It was probably you, Vitani. It felt like you stopped every 5 minutes to knock your head against something. Do you have fleas?", Nuka asked thoughtfully.
"Let's just end this! I'll head straight to Nala and fight her. Nuka, disappear until I reach her.", Vitani said and walked forward.
"Alright! I'm always in for a sneakattack.", he said and vanished. Some minutes later, they arrived at the Girl Rock where two lions were guarding the entrance.
"Hello and welcome to the Girl Rock! Can you identify yourself?", one of the guards asked.
"I'm the princess.", Kiara said confused.
"Princess...princess...eeehm..", the other guard murmured to himself and pretended to look through a list.
"Princess...Kiara?"
"Yes. You know me.", she sighed.
"Oooooh, yes! Kiara! Hello!"
"Yea yeah...follow me, Vitani." Kiara and Vitani walked up to the rock heap that was once the top of the Pride Rock, until Ken walked in there way.
"I'm sorry, but no one is allowed to disturb the queen."
"Go away, Ken. I'm here to defeat Nala and save the Pride Rock.", Vitani said annoyed.

"It's Girl Rock for you, you...", before Ken could finish his sentence, Vitani pushed him to the side and walked by. Nala turned herself to Vitani and bared her teeth.

"So...you dare to betray your queen?!"
"You're my queen, yes. But you're not the empress of the Pride..."
"Sneak attack!", Nuka screamed when he came out of nowhere and bared his teeth at Nala. While Nala had no idea what was going on, Vitani facepawed herself and Kiara started laughing again.
"Who's that?"
"My dead brother Nuka's spirit."
"Ah."
"He'll help me defeating you. Now, Nuka! Give me your strength!", Vitani yelled and went into her fightposition. Everyone was waiting for something, but nothing happened.
"Psst, Nuka! Now would be a great time to give me your strength!", Vitani whispered loudly.
"But Vitani, I'm a tactician! Not a fighter...if you give me a week, I may have a plan that could work.", Nuka said embarassed.
"You're fucking kidding me, right?" Vitani looked at Nuka, like she couldn't believe what just happened.
"Haha, great help, Vitani. Now let's settle this like women." Nala extended her claws.
"To the death.", she said and smiled at Vitani.

Simba prepared himself for Sarabis attack and waited for her to make the first move. Sarabi breathed heavily in Kovus body and couldn't stop smiling at Simba.
"Okay, here we go!", she said and teleported behind him. Simba tried to turn himself away from her, but she already stroke him a few times with her claws. He got pushed away, but landed on his feet. When he looked up again, he saw how Sarabi was already running towards him. "You got your first move! Now enjoy mine!", Simba said and roared as loud as he could, what caused a shockwave around him that pushed Sarabi a few meters back.
Simbas shockwave was still up, but Sarabi started laughing and ran right into it and broke through.
"What?!" Simba was shocked when he saw Sarabi standing right in front of him, while he was still doing his roar.
"You're just not up to my level, son.", she said and punched Simba with multiple hits out of his own shockwave. Simba laid on the ground and tried to get up, but when he did, he discovered Sarabi in front of him already casting something in her mouth.
"At least...you're really using your full potential.", Simba said and dashed to the left, right before she shot a huge energywave forward out of her mouth.

"I am and I love it! But I don't see any progress from you, since your training with Mufasa."
"Trust me, mother. You'll see it, when I have to do it."
"Okay, let's break your limits!" Sarabi roared and jumped at Simba with black & white burning fire under her paws. Simba jumped back and dodged her, but Sarabi immediatly started jumping again to catch him. He kept dodging until Sarabi didn't jump again just shot an energy wave at the dodging Simba, who was prepared for another jump and got hit. Simba began to stagger and Sarabi instalty jumped at him, when she saw that.
"You're done!", she screamed and reached out with her flaming paw. Right before she punched at him, Simba smiled.
"Maybe you're stronger than father, but you're foolish. You underestimated your own son and now you gotta pay for your arrogance.", Simba said and dodged her punch with his head. Sarabi looked surprised, without noticing that Simba grabbed her arm.
"I'll show how much I regret bullying Kovu for no reason!" Simba spun around with her and then threw Kovus body right into the air, before jumping after him. Sarabi immediatly covered her face, but Simba punched her body multiple times per secound and broke her defense.
"Argh...Simba you..."
"That's for bathing me in front of Nala as a cub! I'm still embarassed!", Simba screamed and punched her with everything he got at the back of her head, what smashed her right into the ground. Simba slowly levitated down from above, while Sarabi climbed out of the hole, that her fall caused.
"Give up, mother. It's over.", Simba said and walked towards her. Sarabi just stood there, looking at the ground like she wouldn't hear anything. When Simba came closer, she raised Kovus head and looked at her son with burning eyes.
"You did it! You actually showed me that you can fight on my level!", she said and laughed like crazy.
"At...your level?! Come on, I won!"
"Yeeees Simba, you did! And here's your prize!" Sarabi stomped on the ground and made four lightspheres appear above her, while Kovu's body was looking like it would collapse any minute.
"My ultimate final form!", Sarabi screamed and laughed even more insane than Ed. Simba swallowed and watched Kovus staggering body.
"Kovu...he...he won't survive this much longer...no...I can't let this happen.", Simba said to himself and looked angrily and Sarabi.
"If Kovu dies, the fight would be over and I would lose the chance to train against such a powerful spirit! You won't stand in my way this time, Kovu!" After that thought, Simba bared his teeth and roared angrily.
"Don't think I would lose like that to you, mom!"
"Then proof it!"

Meanwhile at the Girl Rock, Nala licked her lips and was thirsty for traitorblood.
"Come on, Vitani! Come at me!", she said and smiled at her. Vitani swallowed and took some steps back.
"Nu...Nuka, are you sure you don't have any powers?", Vitani asked and looked up to her dead brother.
"I..I don't know...I guess everyone is special in their own way."
"You're not helping!"
"Time's up! Nala-turn!" Nala jumped next to Vitani and kicked her a few meters away. The other female lions and Ken were cheering loudly. Slowly, Vitani stood up and bared her teeth.
"Okay, fuck this! I wasn't part of Ziras herd to get beat up by a girl, without any knowledge of fighting!" Vitani jumped at Nala and nailed her to the ground.
"Don't you...dare...nailing me!", Nala screamed in Vitanis face and threw her off. Nala stood up and growled hatefully. Vitani started ,too and the other lions went a few steps back. Back on her paws, Nala jumped at Vitani, who dodged to the side and hit her with her claws.
"Argh! You..."
"Where's your herd now, Nala?", Vitani asked and smiled. Nala stomped on the ground and roared.
"Right here...attack!" The lions who watched the fight, were starting to the battle and jumped at Vitani.
"I...I don't think we can do this.", Nuka said scared above Vitani who tried to dodge all of Nalas lions.
"WE?!"
"Come on, you're doing more than you think."
"Shut up!", Vitani screamed Nuka back into her body and slapped some of the attacking lions away. Nala stood on top of the rock heap and watched the battle smiling.
"That's what you get for betraying me, Vitani. This is no longer the Pride Rock and Simba won't be able to change that back!"
"We'll see!" Vitani turned her back to the attacking lions and ran towards Nala. The queen raised her claws to hit her, but Vitani tackled her way faster than she expected, down from the ten meter high heap. Everyone ran up to it and looked down to see if their queen was okay, but they saw the fight already going on again.
"I don't wanna kill you, Nala! Just give Simba his throne back!"
"Kill? Me? Haha, I never thought of that as an option. You're young and weak, not like me who already beat the king in our chilhood!"
"Your childhood? You mean when dinosaurs were here?"
"You're dead!" Nala bared her teeth and charged at Vitani, after she pressed her you're old-button.
Kiara watched her mother trying to hit her only female friend with personality from the heap next to the other lions.
"Wow, I didn't know Vitani is that strong."

"Yeah, me neither.", Nuka said from above Kiara.
"Nuka? What are you doing here?"
"I thought it would be safer here and not...there."
"You know you can't die right?"
"Hm, don't wanna risk it."

At the other side of the Girl Rock, Sarabis spheres were shooting at Simba at the same time she was attacking him. Simba did his best to dodge the multiple attacks from all sides, until he decided to jump straight into the air.
"That's way more than I expected, I'll give you that.", Simba said while heavily breathing.
"Thanks, son. And I'll give you that as an exchange!" All of Sarabis lightspheres were starting to combine their lasers into a huge one and blasted at Simba.
"Oh mom, that's to much. I'm sorry I can't accept it!", he screamed and shot an energywave out his mouth against the lightsphere's blast. Simba tried to push the laser back, but he noticed that he was to exhausted to do it.
"I...I can't...", Simba thought and twitched his eyes.
"Don't give up now." Simba felt a huge boost in his body that gave him the power to push the sphere's blast back. Sarabi stood under the energyclash and noticed that something happened to Simba.
"Oh you old fool...I knew you are here." While Simba was pushing his attack more and more, Sarabi teleported behind him.
"Why don't you say hello to your old wife?" Sarabi smiled and kicked Simba with everything she got away, that even Mufasas spirit flew out his sons body and back into the air. Because Simba was away from his position, the lightsphere's blast broke through his remaining energyblast and right into the sky at Mufasa.
"Dad, no!", Simba screamed while falling down and watching the blast hit his father in the sky.
"I wanted to settle this with our son alone, didn't you get that?"
"Sa...sarabi..."
"This will leave you out of this business until I'm done with him." The blast vanished together with Mufasa in the sky and Sarabi slowly levitated with her lightsphere's down.
"See? There is no way you can beat me. Give up, Mufasa won't save you this time."

"Come on, isn't that a bit macabre? I'm still traumatized!"
"You're only traumatized from his death? Looks like I'm doing something wrong."
"Okay, that's enough!", Simba shouted and jumped back on his feet.
"Did a touch a nerve?"
"He is my father!"
"I AM YOUR MOTHER AND YOU LEFT ME IN AN OLD CAVE!"
"...but you were old and stuff."
"Fuck you!" All of her spheres were starting to shoot at the same time at her son to make him dance.
At the Girl Rock, Vitani and Nala were hitting each other without holding back. While Vitani still got some stamina left to fight, Nala was visible at her limits.
"Nala...please!"
"I...won't lose...to a worthless unit..." Nala tried to bare her teeth, but even that was to much for her anymore. Vitani walked up to her and tried to calm her down.
"You lost...please accept that, Nala. You're still our queen!"
"How could I...I need to be...the strongest lion. Otherwi...otherwise everyone would laugh about Girl Rock."
"I think we already passed that line."
"Fuck you!", Ken shouted from above and tried to make his paw to a fist.
"They want you, Vitani. You're the new que..."
"Bullshit.", Vitani said and looked at Nala.
"What?"
"Take a look. All these lions here were roo..."
"I can't turn my neck...to exhausted."
"Oh, well let me tell you that you're surrounded by everyone. These lios here were rooting for you, not for me. You're the only queen that they accept. They even tried to kill me for you, did you for got that?"
"Ye..yes. Yes, they did. Thank you, Vitani. You really showed me your heart and for that, I will show you mercy."
"Mercy?"
"GO GET HER MY LIONS!", Nala commanded and made everyone jump at Vitani.
"But don't kill her! That's my mercy, see?", Nala laughed and tried to stand up again. Kiara walked next to her mother and helped her standing up.
"Thank you, Kiara."
"Thanks for not killing, Vitani."
"She's fine...but she has her own mind. Gag her!" While everyone was sitting on Vitani, Nuka was acting like he was holding on to her arm.
"Look queen, Nala! I'm helping!" But Nala already went back with Kiara into her cave.

The fight between Simba was still going on and giving up was no option for any side. Unlike all of Simbas attacks, Sarabis sphere's didn't waste any of her stamina so she could attack with them without any problem. He tried to find a way to attack his mother between all the dodging, but the spheres were shooting in an order, that there was no easy way out.
"There is no way...mother doesn't get exhausted. She even talks like I never attacked...how can an anima...she's dead. She notices hits, but doesn't feel pain it all. But Kovus body is still getting damage all the time. Okay, let's see how you handle that.", Simba thought and jumped a bit right under one of the spheres. He spun himself and threw the lightsphere above him with his tail into another one. Two other spheres were still shooting, but way easier to dodge, so he could go straight forward against his opponent.
"Ha! Pathetic!", Sarabi screamed and ignited the fire under her paws even more, before she started to run torwards him. When they were close to each other, Sarabi raised her claw to attack Simba, but he threw himself on the ground and slided under her.
"What?!"
"Why don't you go meet dad?!", Simba yelled and kicked her against her body. Kovus body flew right into the air and Simba jumped after him, as fast as he could. The lightspheres were shooting after him, but the projectiles couldn't keep up with his speed. When Sarabi opened her eyes again, she saw his son flying right in front of her eyes.
"Don't think that's it! I still have tons of unused energy!"
"I'm sure you got. Let's see how much of that Kovu can take."
"How much Kovu can taa...fuck." Simba started to attack with his claws multiple time, but Sarabi completly ignored Kovus health and used as much energy as possible to counter every hit of Simba with her flaming paws. The fire hurt him badly, but he knew he couldn't give up now.
"You're too proud do give up, aren't you?"
"You have no idea!", Sarabi said angrily and reached out with one of her paws. The fire on that paw started to switch its color between black and white extremly fast. Simba saw the fire and realized that it's probably his end, if he gets hit by that. A secound later he heared a high sound coming from below and remembered something. Sarabi punched with his claw forward and Simba immediately stopped attacking and dodged to the side. His mother dashed forward and saw her lasers coming towards her.
"No..."
"It's over!", Simba screamed, spun himself and kicked Sarabi on Kovus back down, right into the lasers. Sarabi screamed and Kovu fell down on the ground. Simba slowly levitated down and was still breathing heavily.
"Ha...there you go, mom.", he said and walked to Kovu to see if he was still alive. He laid his head on his chest to if hear his heart was beating.
"No...oh no..." Sarabis head appeared in the clouds and looked down on Simba.
"I didn't want to believe it...but there was a chance for you to defeat me and you did it. I'm really...why are you crying?"
"Be...because of Kovu..."
"I can feel his heart beating, he's still alive."
"Yeah! That''s the problem..."
"Oh come on! Stop hating this guy, he's okay."
"Hm."
"Can we go back to me praising you?"
"Oh right, go on."
"You're extremly strong without Mufasas help. I'm sure you can stop Zerrath, even if...he finds Scar's spirit? Was that his goal?"
"Yeah, Mufasa told me about it."
"Aaaand you're sure that's the best source for information?"
"Mom."
"Okay okay...just wanted to point out that he was the guy who wanted to keep Scar alive, because he was his brother and he could change. Guess he was...dead wrong, heh?"

"I see you're not in the mood for jokes, right now. Well, I'm feeling great after fighting like this. I'll just leave you here, but you should hurry to bring Kovu back to the Pride Rock if you want him to stay alive."
"Hm, I guess I'll take a walk instead of running."
"Your choice.", Sarabi said and disappeared. Simba sighed and lifted Kovu up on his back, before walking back to the Pride Rock. And I'm talking about really really slow walking.

Back on the Girl Rock, Simba looked around shaked his body to threw Kovu off.
"Oh right, Nala was alone. I knew I forgot something."

"Hey, Dad!", Kiara said and walked up to him.
"Hey, Kiara...is it just me or is this way more extrem than usually?"
"Naw, it's really more extrem."
"Mhm, oka...is that Vitani bound and gagged?"
"Yeah, she tried to get you your throne back. She even got her crazy brother Nuka back as a spirit. But don't worry, he doesn't have any powers."
"Mh, okay. You should free her. By the way, Kovu is alive but I really fucked him up. Hope you don't mind."
"Kinda expected that."
"Good girl. Now let me see your mother.", Simba said and walked by Kiara, straight to his wife.
"Hey, Na..."
"Don't even try, Simba!", she said and bared her teeth.
"I won't give you Girl Rock back! You stopped caring about our home when you destroyed it in your fight with Zerrath! I am the queen this place deserves!"
"Whatever.", Simba said and walked next to Nala to whisper something in her ear. She wide opened her eyes and looked shocked at Simba.
"Now?!"
"Now."
"Hey everyone! That's Pride Rock! I repeat: Pride Rock! All obey Simba!", she said and stopped halfway to the cave.
"5 minutes and you're in there."
"O...kay...I hope you're talking a..."
"I'm not talking about the cave.", Nala said and gave Simba the can-you-feel-the-love-tonight?-look.
"Grrrrrreat.", he sighed and saw Nala running into their cave. Before going to Nala, Simba walked to Vitani to free her, because he knew how well Kiara does what he says.
"Thanks, Simba.", Vitani said and streched herself.
"Thanks to you, Vitani." Vitani was visibly getting red in the face.
"Even tho you failed miserably and didn't change a thing."
"Why didn't you stop after my name?"
"Hey, I'm just honest! What's the problem you outlanders have with honesty? Wow, just like Kovu."
"Okay, I got it. Just tell me...what do you whisper in Nalas ear to make her calm down?"
"I'm sure you saw a lot of things with Zira as your mother and Nuka dying in front of your eyes, but the imagination I would give you, would destroy you. Please don't ask."
"I...think I'll just go then.", Vitani said and walked by Ken who was running towards Simba crying.
"You ruined it! You ruined e-very-thiiiing."
"Stop crying, Ken. That's not true, this wasn't Kovus life."
"I hate you!"
"Guess I'll contact your old herd, huh?" Ken washed his tears away and walked away angrily. Simba sighed and looked up in the sky.
"Coming back from a deadly fight with your mother, and everything home is worse than that. That's your life, Simba. But atleast you're good at it."