~Episode eighteen: Triumph Of The Roar~

(Nirmala's final verdict, Kion's response)

"Nice moves, Kion." Rani commented as the Night Pride came to join the Lion Guard.

"That's right!" Bunga grinned, coming to lean casually against Surak's shoulder. "The Lion Guard's Fiercest is.. back!"

"Heh,.. Bunga.." Kion smiled bashfully, nearly blushing.

"Actually, I think Bunga's right." Nirmala informed him, much to his surprise. "This battle proved you can be calm,.. and focused. Your healing.. is complete." And while the initial excitement and relief washed over him with ease;.. a new realization came with the praises of his team.

"Feels great being healed.. doesn't it?" Ono mentioned brightly. But the feeling inside him seemed almost the opposite, as he recalled the day or two before.

"And now that you're healed, we can go home!" Fuli declared.

Home! He remembered, with a different feeling than before.

"Back to the Pridelands!" Beshte gushed.

Back to the Pridelands.. And it almost scared him how off even his own thoughts sounded.

XXXX

(After leaving the guard alone)

What am I gonna tell the Guard when they ask what I've been up to? The thought came to mind so clearly, it almost shocked him with how much easier he could now think. You'd think hearing Nirmala finally say that I'm healed would be far more.. Encouraging.. But then.. Why do I feel so.. torn? And if we go home,..and.. all those predators stay here.. Who will help the Night Pride defend the Tree Of Life and the animals who live here? How can we leave here knowing that we let this happen.. that I let this happen.. There must be more I can do here. I need to fix this!

His paws were willing to take him where he subconsciously desired to go, and he was relieved when the ground under him finally sloped up with more shade falling upon him than the open plains.

XXXX

(Kion resumes his training with Askari)

"Now,.. the first thing I want you to realize.." Askari mentioned as "Is that the Roar.. is far more than a weapon for battle.. It's so much more.."

"So I'm told." Kion confirmed, a furrowed brow sending his gaze downward.

"And no just that.." Askari went on, earning his wide, thoughtful glance.

"It also has more of an.. Internal aspect.. As well.."

"It sometimes responds to how you feel sometimes.. is that right?" Askari asked in a new tone of question.

"Yeah!" Kion recollected, as the most prominent memories began to resurface. "It does.."

"And your scar has made it more difficult to stay calm,.. Correct?"

"How did you know?!" Kion gasped, stepping a little closer to him in surprise.

"The Roar has great power.." Askari reminded him. "And if you can control your emotions,.. it can be precise as well." He merely explained.

XXXX

(conversation amongst the Guard; without Bunga?)

"Want me to bring him back?" Anga asked, as the honey badger on a mission took off.

"Nah, let's continue the patrol." Fuli decided with an awkward shrug of her head. "And enjoy the peace and quiet."

"You know.." Beshte spoke up, as they kept walking. "Bunga,.. does kinda have a point. Maybe it is a little weird how quick he was to take off like that."

"It's not like he's lying about something." Anga reasoned. "I mean, what does he have to hide?"

"And why wouldn't he think to tell us if there was something?" Ono added suspiciously.

"Hold on!" Fuli interjected, stopping short so Beshte accidentally tapped her when halting himself. "Guys,.. Kion's been through alot to get here to heal his scar.. And.. even more once we finally got here. I'm sure he just,.. needs some time to process some things.. Ok? Now can we focus on getting through this patrol?"

"Ok, Fuli." Beshte nodded.

"I hope you're right." Ono agreed.

"Me too, Ono." The cheetah silently mumbled, turning to resume their trek through the sandy dunes.

XXXX

(after the song)

"So you see Kion.. the more you practice,.. And push the limits you think are there.. You may find there's soo much more to be discovered."

"Yes, Askari.." Kion smiled more confidently. "I'm starting to."

"Good.. then let us continue." Askari smiled. "You've seen how you can direct the roar in whatever way you see fit.. But what about directing it to stay together in a way that can also be as effective?"

"Askari?" Kion wondered in his confusion.

"Air is one of the most prominent gifts your power possesses.. And that is a certainty for many reasons.. One being what I'm about to show you.."

"I'm ready." Kion responded, widening his stance to lift his head more confidently, even curling his tail up a little more.

"Good,.. then step back,.." Kion stepped several paces back from the edge of the cliff as requested of him.

"Now,.. roar into the wind,.. and try to bend it together into one."

Kion sent out a roar that simply sent a few rings straight in front of him and hit one of the rock formations across the gap from him.

"Oops." Kion vocalized awkwardly. "Lemme try that again.." stepping his paws out again into his iconic stance, he dug in and roared again. Circling his head in a way that he felt would achieve the goal Askari had put before him. And when the air from his Roar spun into a small whirlwind, he had to stop the Roar in order to watch the small tornado slowly working a jagged path over to the edge then fade into the breeze that decimated it to nothing.

"Woah!" Kion breathed.

"Well done, Kion!.." Askari praised. "You're learning... now here's what else you can do with a skill like that.."

XXXX

(during the battle)

How is he doing this?! Fuli's jaw dropped when Bunga was lifted off the ground on a whirlwind roared up by Kion and flowed across the open land after the fleeing binturong.

"Zuka.. Zamaaa!" The honey badger called.

Where did Kion learn to do that!? Ono internally marveled, as Beshte was also lifted into the air, and then dropped onto Makucha.

Wow. Anga thought simply, impressed to see all of it.

And not one of them had a thought to think, as Kion split the big stone that had blocked the Tree of Life's entrance, to pieces.

"Hoah! Glad I got my sight back!" Ono breathed. "I wouldn't have believed that if I hadn't seen it!"

XXXX

(Kion's response to Rani's offer)

"Now I know why Queen Janna was so happy to have the Roar return to the Tree of Life." Rani smiled. "And now that it's here.." She paused, dropping a bashful gaze for a moment. "You should.. stick around."

"Oh!" Kion gasped, hoping it didn't sound so surprised as he looked to the shocked faces that stared at the new queen. And his thoughts wandered from that back to her in a flurry of emotions.

"So? What'do ya say?" Rani asked again.

"Uhh.. it sounds nice, but.."

"We can't stay here?" Fuli cut him off, when she'd shaken herself out of her daze. "We're still the Lion Guard.. which means we have to go back to protecting the Pridelands."

"Not that it's not great being here." Beshte added quickly.

"It's just that.."

"Uh-hold on everyone.." Kion spoke up, coming forward quickly and stopping right before her. "We should,.. probably wait a few days to make sure Mukucha and all the predators are truly gone.."

"Annd.. think about what I said?" Rani hinted, cocking her glance up to him; sending his heart leaping out of whack, which he had to restrain himself from to find his composure.

"Uh,.. yeah!" He answered concisely. "Sure."

"Seriously?" Fuli questioned.

"Come on, Fuli." Kion protested, turning to her almost begging. "Shouldn't we at least make sure things are truly secure here before we leave to go home? I mean.. we are the reason Makucha and his army found the Tree of Life."

He still feels bad about that.. doesn't he?.. The cheetah thought sympathetically, and even as Kion's amber eyes held hers she couldn't help but feel that guilt wasn't the only reason, but the more she looked the more convinced she was that she was seeing things.

"*sigh* ok.. Maybe a couple more days won't hurt." She gave in finally.

"Of course, thank you, Lion Guard." And Kion stepped over to watch Rani double back away from them to lead her team away.

"Thanks, Fuli." He told her when meeting her glance once again.

"You sure there isn't any other reasons why you wanna stay a little longer?" Fuli asked him.

"Um.. no." Kion shook his head. "Why?.. Should there be?" And the earnest look of this response was convincing enough from her to drop the thought for the moment.

"*sigh* ok.." She sighed, rolling her eyes over from one side to the other. "If you say so." And with that she wandered away, leading the rest of the Guard with her; as Kion turned to look back at the direction Rani and the Night Pride disappeared in, before turning back to follow his team.

~Triumph Of The Roar~

Hey guys! This is probably the toughest episode yet! Thx to BlueWolfBat for the assistance in the episode and the insight he brought to this chapter as a whole! This was honestly the toughest episode,.. Because they, as I've said a lot lately, covered most, if not, all angles of this episode. And the things I added may not have been needed. But hey,.. Then we wouldn't have a chapter then, would we? XD

Anyway,.. this episode, while challenging, is exactly the kind of thing I love! Because it shows how great their work really can be and is! When you can't find anything to add or change,.. You know they're doing something right!

Kion's Roar is crazy awesome and it shines through on that final battle at the end of the episode! Which might I add.. Coolest battle scene ever! Yeah sure, Kion barely did anything other than roar and single handedly took them all down, and freed the Night Pride.. But this is also a crowning moment for Kion.. being able to sustain himself throughout the entirety of this fight.. And staying calm and focused as he was trained to do.. It's a testament to what he's learned from his healing sessions. And it's what makes Kion such a strong character! And this also leads him to become overly confident later on,.. which is also interesting to see from him. It shows that while he's learned a lot.. He's still got stuff to learn. And I love that!

As always, feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions, and I hope to see you again soon for the next chapter! Thx!