Lion Guard: Repercussions

"But after that.. he had no choice.." Rafiki continued his story gravely. "He had to banish Zira and her family from the Pridelands.. forever.."

"So the lions in the Outlands might be Zira and her family?" Bunga concluded quickly.

"Most definitely." Rafiki confirmed with a nod. "And if they find out that Kion is Simba's son?.. There could be trouble.. much trouble!"

"We've gotta help Kion!" Bunga gasped, turning to the Guard.

"Right! Let's go!" Fuli decided, turning to leave. "Till the Pridelands end!.."

"Lion Guard defend!" The rest of the group called, when racing after her. And as soon as they'd left, Rafiki sighed and shook his head, knowing what he must do now.

xxxx

"Your majesties." The Royal Mjuzi addressed his King and Queen, who looked to him immediately from under the shadow of the upper cave.

"I believe there is a matter you must be aware of." Rafiki finished, and a sinking feeling began to overtake the remainder of the Royal family, making them dread the old mandrill's elaboration.

XXXX

"I know Jasiri believed in you." Madoa was saying after the fact. "But I'll admit,.. I had my doubts."

"And now?" Kion asked, smiling.

"I'm glad she has you for a friend." Madoa beamed.

"I'm glad to have all of you as friends." Jasiri smiled to the Lion Guard gathered around her.

"Back at ya, Jasiri." Fuli grinned. And the two hyena pups barked and played until they noticed the same golden stranger from before standing near them again.

"Hey, little ones." Kion greeted them softly. "I'm not so scary now, huh?"

But the two looked at each other and fled with whines and yelps; leaving Kion with a surprised look and those around him to laugh.

"Take it as a compliment." Jasiri smiled to her friend. "You are pretty fierce."

And they all had to laugh again as the pups still hid behind Madoa.

"Kion!" An upset voice squawked.

"Uh oh,.. now what." Bunga wondered, as they all looked up toward the sound.

Ruffled blue feathers flapped down to the ground, and their dark eyes stared at the cub with a disappointment he didn't see often from him.

"Zazu?" Kion asked. "Uh,.. what's going on?"

"The King would like a word with you.." Zazu answered deeply. "Your hyena friend too."

"Uhh ok." Kion answered uncertainly, as the hornbill turned to leave. "Come on, Jasiri, let's go talk to my dad. Lion Guard, follow me."

"That doesn't sound good." Fuli mumbled to the group, more concerned than anything.

xxxx

As they approached Pride Rock once again, a heavy feeling came upon the young leader. And even more so when his father emerged from the upper cave of their rocky home, a stern look upon his face.

Uh oh. Was the first thought that came to his mind at seeing this.

xxxx

"Kion.. do you realize the kind of danger, you've put yourself in today?" Simba asked him, the deep yet calm voice he held was almost more nerve wracking than his yell ever could. "I mean,.. telling complete strangers who you are.. and of all things going alone to confront them. That is why we have the Lion Guard, to protect the Pridelands.. and that includes you."

"But.. I was never in any real danger.." Kion protested carefully. "I had it handled, honest."

"Kion.." his mother jumped in, coming toward him with a stern glance of her own. "You have to be careful who you introduce yourself to.. and how you do it.. not everyone is safe to talk to with stuff like this."

"What stuff?" Kion wondered, innocently confused. "And I'm always careful around strangers."

"*sigh* I'll admit, in this case, part of this was my fault.." the Lion King sighed. "I should've warned you about Zira and the Outsiders.. but I guess I figured we'd never hear from them again. As we haven't for some time.. but I need you to understand that.. as the second born to the royal family of the Pridelands, outsiders like Zira will be all too willing to take you down if they see fit. Especially since you also lead the new Lion Guard. And I'm sorry to say,.. but because you are still young,.. it can be easy for you to be overpowered if the roar fails to do that. Because, as I'm sure you've figured out, the roar can't always be the answer. Meaning there are situations where it can't be used."

"Of course." Kion nodded to confirm.

"And we understand that this didn't seem like a big deal at the time,.." Nala told him tenderly. "But if anything had happened to you out there your father and I would have been devastated."

"I.. I know that, I.. I understand." Kion sighed, seeing the error in his otherwise noble thoughts. "Assuming the best in lions is just as bad, as assuming the worst in hyenas."

"Exactly." Simba nodded, dropping a bit of his heated anger. "And it can be dangerous to let others in on what you know you are. Remember you are still a prince,.. above all else.. being leader of the Lion Guard just makes you a special kind of prince, but it doesn't make you immune to the.. repercussions of what others might do to you knowing who you are to the Pridelands."

"I understand, dad." Kion sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't think of that before. I just wanted to help Jasiri get her and her family's watering hole back."

"We know, Kion." Nala agreed knowingly. "And we're glad you did that.. but next time,.. take at least one member of the Guard with you."

"And come talk to us if something doesn't sound right to you,.." Simba added. "You never know who you're going to run into in the lands outside the Pridelands."

"Ok.. I'll try to check with you first before jumping into a fight I'm not prepared for." Kion nodded, more determined now. "Maybe then I can make better decisions on how to handle it."

"And Jasiri." The king addressed the hyena. "We asked you here because we wanted to make you aware of this as well.. so that a situation like this.. doesn't happen again."

"Of course, your majesty." Jasiri answered humbly bowing. "And I must apologize for what happened, I knew not to trust Zira and should've tried harder to stop Kion from falling into her trap. And.. you must know.. I was the one who told those strange lions that Kion was your son. And for that, I am deeply sorry. I had no intentions of putting Kion in danger like that.. and I hope we can continue to be allies to the Pridelands. If not.. I understand."

"Of course you are still our allies." Simba assured her, smiling warmly. "We just wanted to address the situation to the fullest capacity in hopes of preventing such a thing from happening again."

"Asante, your majesty, thank you." Jasiri smiled, bowing her head respectfully.

"Of course." Simba obliged. "You are released to return home."

"Of course.." Jasiri complied, turning to leave. "Goodbye Kion,.. until next time."

"Bye, Jasiri." Kion called, craning his neck back to watch her leave. And as soon as she was gone..

"We were so worried!" Nala gasped lunging forward to nuzzle her son, joined by Simba. And at first Kion was surprised but gave in to her touch knowing the amount of love that was behind it;.. and that his parents needed it.

"And now that your friend is gone.. I need to know exactly what it is you were thinking when you headed into the Outlands without the Lion Guard beside you!" Kion knew his father's stern tone would return, which is why he was not surprised when it did. He'd already had the feeling he was not done being angry about the situation just yet.

"By now you should know that the Outlands and the animals who live there are dangerous! And you can't trust them." Simba growled, thinking of those from his past who've come from there.

"But Jasiri and her family aren't?" Kion reasoned. "And they live in the Outlands. I mean.. she helped me when I got stuck in the Outlands."

"True.. but only because they are among the very few hyena clans that weren't loyal to Scar." Simba corrected himself. "Janja and his clan have taken to this life all too easily.. and I think it has something to do with heritage."

"You think they might be related?" Kion wondered.

"Without a doubt." Simba confirmed. "Which is why I need you to be careful who you trust out there!.. hyenas aren't the only ones who follow Scar.. or at the very least agree with his vision."

"The Outlands isn't as peaceful as the Pridelands, Kion." Nala put in pacing closer to her son and mate. "And knowing who you are will make you that much more of a target."

"Why?.. I mean.. I understand the prince thing.. but if animals know that I'm leader of the Lion Guard.. wouldn't that be enough for them to know to stay away?"

"Given your age and limited knowledge from growing up.." Simba trailed thoughtfully. "It would be all too easy for the wrong ideas to be made about you.. Clearly many of our current enemies have underestimated you at first. But that is because they were not prepared for the power that you now possess."

"Or didn't care." Kion sighed, knowing full well what he meant by this.

"Which is exactly why you must always be diligent.. and not allow yourself to be led into a trap by those who could easily do you harm." Simba's voice was softening up again and Kion wondered if it was over again.

"We can't risk losing you.." Nala told him. "As leader of the Lion Guard.. and more importantly.. as our son."

"I understand.." Kion sighed again, his gaze wandering down again. But another nuzzle from his mother lightened his long face and even gave him more of an ease, which he chose to hold onto as strongly as he could when he was sent off again.

xxxx

"Wonder what they're talking about." Bunga whispered audibly. Doing his best to peer into the cave from a short distance in the light of the sunlight in front the entrance.

"Hope he's not in too much trouble." Beshte added nervously.

"Well he did get into some really big trouble earlier.." Fuli reasoned. "I mean he didn't even realize the level of danger he was in, until we showed up."

"Technically, Kion didn't have all the facts and therefore didn't have a reason to suspect danger.." Ono countered. "I mean we've never had any trouble with lions before, because all the lions we know of are in the Pridelands. And Kion's pretty much grown up with most of them."

"Still,.." Fuli began, but was stopped by the bravest member of the Guard.

"Wait.. what're you saying, Ono?" Bunga questioned.

"I'm just saying.. Kion didn't have any chance of knowing how dangerous the situation was.." Ono reiterated, waving his wings about to somehow reinforce his point. "So some of it wasn't his fault, Kion's always the one who'll give anyone the benefit of the doubt.. o..er..- most of the time anyway."

At that moment, Kion emerged. Bunga hopped back as soon as he noticed him coming, though his reaction was delayed by his approach from the darkness due to the shadows within the cave.

"So?.. How'd.. it go?" Fuli asked unusually slowly.

"They're just worried.." Kion answered softly, regretful eyes lowering. "But I know now that we can't always trust those that don't seem like a threat.. I'll definitely think twice before trusting someone who claims not to be an enemy."

"Kion!" The cub in question looked up as three more of similar like came barreling over to them from below the main level of Pride Rock.

"What the heck were you thinking?!" Kiara challenged harshly, getting in his face when she reached him. "I mean getting involved with Zira and her pride?! Come on!"

"Let me guess,.." Kion sighed, rolling his eyes a little. "You know them too?" He finished dryly, half expecting this reaction to come from his sister and half annoyed for being right.

"Just enough to know you should stay away from them." Kiara shot back. "Who knows what she would've done to you if the Guard hadn't got to you in time."

"I had everything under control, Kiara." Kion asserted, tempering his growing annoyance as best he could. "She never even tried to hurt me.. and even if she had.. I can handle it."

"Zira is a full grown lion.." Kiara pointed out. "And you were outnumbered.. no telling what kind of damage they could've done to you.. if not killing you. Just like Scar did to Mufasa!"

"That's enough, Kiara!" Kion shouted, her words striking a nerve he didn't fully know was there until now. "I had it handled.. the Guard backed me up in the end so there was nothing to really worry about."

"Nothing to WORRY about!?"

"Kion! Kiara! What are you-.." Nala's sentence was halted when she, her mate and advisor witnessed an all-out tackle leaving their prince under the princess who glared down at him hurtfully.

"I didn't suffer the loss of a potential friend just to see you get hurt!" Kiara blurted out over her tense brother. And as soon as she said this, his fiercely annoyed glare dropped to a kind of stunned disbelief, his confusion turned to shock as she laid down on top of him so that the side of her head was to his chest.

"I couldn't imagine what would happen after that.." she softly said, keeping her eyes closed as she listened to his heartbeat thumping in her ear.

Eventually she got up and hopped off of him, so he could heavily roll her way and onto his side; a blank look across his face even as his parents bore an endearing one.

"I.." his gaze dropped down for a moment. "I'm sorry."

And at this, Kiara's expression said that of "you should be" as she strode over to her parents to assume an erect posture when sitting down beside them.

"Now you know the price of the danger you and your friends face every day as the Lion Guard." Simba told him, in more of a mentor's tone than a stressed father.

"Don't ever think that your choices only affect you and your team.." Nala added. And this knowledge, already inside him, began to take on a whole new form, which made far more sense that he realized in the moment.. but would soon become fully clear with the time to come. And as his family remained silent, Kion finally rose, unsure of how to respond. Finding nothing to say as a response, he merely wandered away with some deep thoughtfulness that he knew would cling to him for some time.. maybe even into his dreams for the coming night and possibly even into the day to follow. And this thoughtfulness was so deep, he almost didn't notice the Guard following after him out of habit so they could all enter the Lair together.

"Kion,.. you ok?" Beshte asked.

No answer, Kion just paced forward into the Lair, while everyone else remained just barely inside the entrance.

"Kion?"

Who asked this, he really didn't pay attention.. He only knew that someone was addressing him,.. which he finally decided to form a response for.

"I know today was rough." He finally began, turning toward them again. "It started out normal.. then totally changed.. and..I could've gotten hurt…" his gaze hit the ground once again.

"Makes me glad that I have you guys to always have my back.." his eyes softened with a wide half smile. "Even when I don't realize I need it."

At this, all smiles spread throughout the group.

"Aww, it was nothing." Bunga rehearsed in a slight bashful, but otherwise meaningful tone.

"Of course we'd have your back.." Fuli emphasized. "You knew that when you brought us all together as the Lion Guard."

"Indeed." Ono nodded in his agreement.

"And no matter what.. we always will be." Kion decided. "And from now on.. we'll handle situations just like this in the best way we know how.. Together."

"Right!"

"Zuka Zama"

"Yeah!"

"Affirmative!" The Guard responded in a cascading fashion, further solidifying the new vow of certainty that they had unofficially made as of that moment.. One, they knew, would last far into the future as the Protectors of the Pridelands..

~Repercussions~

Hello everyone! I have returned with another LG story! This one was a concept that was what bugged me about the ending of season 2's episode; Lions Of The Outlands.

And aside from some other major and minor discrepancies.. this is one thing that I personally wished we would have seen at some point. And this episode was a prime example.. also this could very well be just one piece of the explanation for why Simba's psycho, overprotective nature leapt off a cliff in the second movie; Simba's Pride.. and not in the show.. and was also a good lesson for Kion to learn, which seems to remain true for the remainder of the series as we saw.. even into season three..

Either way.. I hope you enjoy this small piece of my thoughts.. and I hope to see you again soon.. as far as new stories do I have plans for more LG stories but due to lack of a lot of time.. and other reasons,.. they may not release for a while.

However, this is something I'll keep in mind when working on future projects.. I will do my best to write the entire story before posting so that I may stay on a feasible schedule, for both me and hopefully you! Please share your thoughts on this and anything else I mentioned here.. Including the story itself.. Thx in advance! Believe me, your input is most appreciated!

Again.. enjoy this story.. and I hope to see you again soon! Thx!