Janja sat on a cliffside all by himself. After Jasiri and the other Backlanders had taken off to take on the Outlanders, Janja had deliberately refused to join them. He couldn't. Scar would most likely be with them, and he was now scared out of his mind of the fiery Ghost. Jasiri had tried to convince him to join them, but he stubbornly refused, so she was forced to leave him behind. The Male Hyena did not care that she was disappointed in him, all that he wanted now was to be safe, away from all those Outlanders.
Away from Scar.
His clan also stayed behind, for they did not know what to do without their leader. But they did not want to disturb him while he wanted to be alone. He stared out over the skeletal remains of the Great Dragon Massacre. He was glad that Cataro was dead and not coming back because he sounded worse than ten Scars combined. It looked that way as well.
"Pretty nice day, huh?"The voice seemed to ring a bell in Janja's mind. The kind of bell that had been left unrung for a lifetime. It was almost the same kind of bell that was used when Janja saw Tombie after all those years, but this one felt more ancient.
And he got his answer as he turned around.
Two Adult Hyenas, one Male, and one female stood in front of Janja. A blue Aura could be seen flowing around the two of them. Janja could easily remember who they were.
"Mom? Dad?"
"Heya son." The male, known as Banzai, greeted his eldest son with a smile. "Man, just look how you've grown. You see this, Shenzi?"
"Mhmm." Shenzi the female nodded as she approached the mortal, not leaving a single footprint in the dirt. "Boy, you've always had my eyes."
Tears began to well up in Janja's eyes, something that had rarely happened in his lifetime.
Banzai put his paw on Janja's back, knowing he could not feel it, but still enjoying this reunion. "I tell ya, you and Tombie sure grew up pretty swell." The father ghost chuckled before turning serious. "But, what I wanna know is, why?"
"Why what?" Janja asked his dead mother.
"Why have you done everything that you've done?" Shenzi asked him. "I mean, ditching your brother for dead? After me and your Dad left, you turned from that playful little puppy into... well, a jerk, to put it kinda plainly."
"Yeah, don't you remember anything we taught ya?" Banzai asked him with a raised eyebrow.
Janja hardened his expression as he stepped forward. "You wanna know why I changed? It's Because after you both died, I was told that 'It's the way things are' over and over and over. Then I realized; it was the rules fault our kind have always been pushed around. Who needs rules? I HATE the way things are!" He turned sharply and glared back over the horizon, at the dozens of Komodo Skeletons. "You see? My point is rested IN STONE."
Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other with sadness and worry in their apparition eyes. What their eldest was saying was almost, if not entirely, true. This explained everything about Janja. He didn't disrespect the Circle of Life because he didn't believe in it, he did it because he always hated its immense and endless rules. The two Ghosts teleported over to their son's side.
"You know, Janja," Shenzi said soothingly to him. "Sometimes, there are rules because there has to be. During my and your Father's time in the afterlife, we learned something new. The Circle of Life has a plan for everyone, but, you know, we don't all make it together in the end."
"But why?" Janja asked as he looked directly at her. "Why does it have to be this way? I've missed you both so much."
"And we miss you every time we look around and you're not there," Banzai replied peacefully. "But you know, me and your mother will always have a special place with you... and your brother."
As if fate had decided to just bump something in to interrupt the tender moment, an unearthly cackling laughter caught everyone's attention.
Especially Shenzi and Banzai's.
A third Hyena Ghost had made himself known. He had a long tongue like Cheezi, but he looked much older. He floated towards them, laughing his goofy head off.
"Oh no..." Banzai groaned and shook his head before turning to Shenzi. "Didn't you tell him?"
"I thought you told him." Shenzi shot back before turning to the laughing apparition. "Ed, this is kind of a family kinda deal, ok?"
Ed kept his goofy grin in his face as his tongue just flopped through some of his missing teeth.
Boy, some things just never change, do they?
Banzai then sighed before turning back to his mortal son as Ed just laughed behind them. "As we were saying son, In a way, we've always been with you."
Janja's head lifted as he looked at them with a look that showed his sudden change of perspective. "You have?"
"Yup." Shenzi nodded. "Whenever you look at Tombie. you see us, don't you? That must be why you push him away. Listen, it's always good to remember the past, but you can't run from your troubles like you've been doing. We learned from Scar that sometimes, what we think is right isn't so right after all."
Janja tilted his head. "What do you mean? Scar helped Hyenas, he was a friend to them, up until he died in the Pride Rock fire."
This statement even stopped Ed from laughing. From the looks on the Ghosts' faces, they were shocked to hear their son's theory about Scar's demise. Banzai floated forward and put his paw on Janja's shoulders still not feeling it.
"Son, there's something you should know..."
~Meanwhile~
Entire crowds of animals stretched as far as the eye could see. From the Tallest Giraffe to the smallest Mongoose, no animal did not arrive at Mizimu grove for the show that the Lion Guard invited them to. Fuli and her friends stood at the entrance to the grove, welcoming each animal in.
"Hiya! How ya doing? Good ta see ya!" Bunga greeted each animal.
Beshte looked to see his aardvark friend and his whole Armory coming in. "Hey, Muhungus! Glad you could make it."
"Wouldn't miss it, Beshte." The adult aardvark nodded. "Besides, I'm celebrating tonight. I finally got that Red Bird's feathers outta my den." He chuckled at his joke as he walked in.
An old, Dark green Crocodile was next in line. "Greetings, Lion Guard."
"Oh, Pua!" Fuli exclaimed. "You made it! It's been a while, where've you been?"
"I've been on the Eastern side of the Pridelands." The former leader of a float pointed in said direction. "I found a new float and they have allowed me to stay with them, and I told my new leader where to find this place." He was soon joined by several other crocodiles.
"Wow, it's like my Dad always says, 'You can make friends anywhere.'" Beshte chuckled as he quoted his father as he usually did.
"Well put, Beshte." Pua gave a nod as he entered the Grove with his new Float. "Very well put."
Fuli looked up to the sky where the Keenest of Sight was. "Is that everyone, Ono?"
"Almost, Fuli!" Ono called down.
Tiifu, One of Kiara's close friends had just arrived with Zuri, Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Rogo, Ugo, Fikiri, Kitendo, and Zazu. "Lion Guard, good to see you all." She said to them.
"Hey, everyone." Beshte greeted. "Wait, where's Makini?"
"Well, you know, Beshte, Makini said she'd rather stay behind," Rogo said as if he were confused at the thought.
"Yes, but, Makini's been taking her lessons with Rafiki very seriously." Fikiri nodded. "She must be doing some sort of favor for him."
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Tiifu exclaimed. "I brought another guest to see the Show."
"Really? Who?" Bunga asked
"Me!" A small, yellow ball of fluff jumped down from Tiffu's back. Now, Bunga may not have been the smartest of all animals, but he could remember who this small Mammal was.
"Kuchimba!" He exclaimed as he picked up the little Mole. "It's good to see you again, old buddy! I haven't seen you since we got lost underground."
Ono flew down to the two. "So, you're Kuchimba? We've heard a lot about you."
"I'm famous, huh?" Kuchimba put his hands on his hips as he chuckled. "Wow, I come out of my hole for the first time, and already I've started a fan club! Anyways, I'd always come if Tiifu's there with me, but I never knew I'd be seated with the Royal family!"
"Any friend of Tiifu's is a friend of ours." Simba nodded as he and the group entered the Grove.
"Well, that's everyone, right Ono?" Fuli asked the Egret.
"Everyone in the Pridelands, Fuli," Ono confirmed.
"Good, I guess it's safe to go in now." The Cheetah led her friends Into the grove with all the other Animals. The Pridelanders were taking their seats on the ground as they prepared for the show of their lives.
Little did they know, it would be one they would never forget.