Fallen Kingdom and the Kingdom key clash as Roxas and Xion continue sparring. Xion jumps back and casts multiple blizzard spells, which Roxas leaps over and slides under as he approaches his opponent. He swings his keyblade, and Xion manages to Reflect just in time, Roxas braces himself as the explosion knocks him away. Xion shoots more ice from her keyblade with Roxas moves away with a weak magnet spell, he strafes left and right as he tries to out-maneuver Xion, who aims a blizzard spell just right. . . and shoots. Roxas parries the icicle and sends it flying. . . towards Namine. Namine quickly ducks and covers the top of her head with her hands. The icicle shatters against the thick gummi ship cockpit window. She slowly puts her head back up and takes her hands off her head
"Guys, could you take it down a notch." Namine requests.
"Hehe. . . Sorry" Xion responds. Suddenly, the gummi ship slows down, and the three look out the cockpit window to see that they've arrived at their destination. Roxas and Xion begin to scramble, they spent so much time sparring they completely forgot to prepare. They quickly grab everything they need and prepare to descend, Namine gets up to join them.
"What are you doing?" asks Roxas.
"I uh- I wanted to come with. . ." Namine says shyly
"What? Namine, you can't do that. You could get hurt!" Says Xion with worry in her voice.
"But, I just-" Namine sighs deeply and gives up, "all right, I'll stay here and watch over you two, okay" Roxas and Xion nod to Namine before descending to the world below. Upon descending, they look down t find that they are once again animals. They take the time to get used to quadrupedal movement before they make their way to pride rock.
"Hey, Xion. Can I ask you something?" asks Roxas. Xion nods and he continues. "It's about Namine. You've noticed it too right? She's been acting different recently, right?."
"Yeah, I've noticed too."
"Do you have an idea why she's been acting so strange recently?" asks Roxas
"This may be a stretch, but all her life she's been a prisoner. She was a pawn used by Marluxia back at Castle Oblivion, she was then used as yet another tool in Diz's plan for revenge, being left to sit in one place for many days just because that's what she was told to do." Xion comments. "And now we're leaving her behind to stay in the ship all the time when we're out and about," Xion explains. "We've changed our fates, and are forging our own path together. But I don't know if Namine feels the same way anymore."
"Well. It's not like we're trying to keep her there. We're just trying to protect her." Says Roxas.
"Yeah, I know. But, do you think we're going overboard? Does she really have to stay in the gummi ship basically all the time?" asks Xion. Roxas stops and thinks for a moment.
"I don't know. . ." from the gummi ship, Namine continues to work on her sketch, before stopping. She sighs.
"I guess I'm not that good of a liar huh?" Namine says to herself, before taking a deep breath and continuing to work on her sketch. Roxas and Xion continue to walk towards pride rock when they see a familiar face.
"What the- How are you alive!?" Roxas says as he stands his ground. In front of the two is Scar, with darkness swirling around him. Roxas Leaps and prepares to strike the lion, when he suddenly vanishes.
"What the- Xion? Did you see that?" asks Roxas. Xion nods her head.
"This is strange. We should tell Simba right away!" says Xion. Roxas nods and the two race off to pride rock. Upon arriving, they find Nala in front of the cave that leads to the peak of Pride Rock.
"Have you come to see Simba?" asks the Lioness.
"Yeah. We saw what looks like Scar's ghost. We wanted to warn him." Says Xion.
An omen like that could only be foretelling the end of our pride." Nala sighs. "Yet Simba won't do a thing. . ."
"I'm sure Simba will think of something eventually," says Roxas.
"That's the problem though. We need him to take action, just as his father would have done." Says Nala. She takes a deep breath and moves out of their way. "I leave you three alone for now. Simba's lying in the den," says Nala, motioning towards the cave behind her, before walking off. Roxas and Xion enter the den. Simba turns his head to look at the two.
"You came back. . ." Simba says, with a half-hearted smile.
"Simba, are you okay?" asks Xion. The lion sighs and rests his head on his paw.
"Hey, Simba. Why don't we team up and do something about that Scar ghost?" Asks Roxas. Simba gets up and growls.
"That doesn't concern you!" He snaps. Roxas and Xion step back, taken aback by the usually kind Simba lashing out. Simba steps back and looks down. "Sorry. . ."
"It's okay." Says Xion, quietly. Simba sighs.
"I just wish I knew what my father would do." Says Simba dejectedly.
"But he's not here, Simba. It's up to you to be your own king, not just trying to do things the way your father did." Says Xion.
"So you're saying. . . it's all up to me now. . ."
"Yeah. Your father was a great king, and beloved by many. But it's your turn now." Says Roxas. Simba looks at the two children and smiles.
"You're right. I guess I'm still living in the past even now huh," says Simba. "Come on, let's go visit Rafiki, he can give us some help on what to do about Scar," says Simba with newfound confidence.
"That's the spirit!" says Xion. before the three exit the den and make their way to Rafiki's little cave.
"Oh ho ho! The king- he is ready to be king?" asks Rafiki
"Yes, I think so," Simba responds
"Can you tell us about Scar's ghost?" asks Roxas.
"OH, yes. . . the ghost. A being with no body. It is created when the evil heart of Scar Meets the hesitating heart of Simba."
"Hmm. . . it sounds like a heartless. . ." says Roxas.
"I don't know Roxas. . . " Says Xion
"Yes, you don't know. But we do know is that it's upsetting the hearts of the pride. You may not know what it is, but it still IS." Explains Rafiki "This world, it is full of many such things. And these are the things a king must face."
"Is that all you can tell us?" asks Simba.
"Yes, for today. But the hyenas. They may know more. Maybe. . ." Says the shaman. The three, having no other leads, leave the stone hollow to find the hyenas.
"The hyenas tend to be near the elephant graveyard. It'd be best if we checked there first." Says Simba.
"You're right. Let's go." Says Xion, The three race across the Savannah, making their way to the elephant graveyard. On their way, however, they run into an apparition of Scar. It slashes at the three, but they get out of the way in time to counterattack, causing the apparition to disappear. The three gather together before sprinting to the elephant graveyard. Upon arriving, they find just the three they wanted to talk to.
"Hey! You!" yells Roxas. The hyenas jump and look behind them to see the three heroes.
"Aw, c'mon, can't you guys just leave us alone?" says the male hyena
"Do you three know anything about Scar's ghost?" asks Simba.
"Huh? Scar's ghost?" says the female hyena, with an unconvincing attempt at seeming confused. The crazy hyena laughs a little
"Maaaybe. . ." says the male hyena quickly turning to run
"Quick! After them!" shouts Simba. The three heroes chase after them and slash at the hyenas with their claws (and keyblades) when they're in reach. Suddenly, however, Xion gets an idea.
"Hey, Roxas!" Roxas turns to her "could you try and round them up in one place, I have an idea." Roxas nods and proceeds to sprint to an opposing path, It takes a quick second but Roxas manages to cut off and block the hyenas for a long enough period of time for Xion to materialize her keyblade and cast a powerful thunder spell. Thunder reigns from the sky and the hyenas fall to the floor. The heroes quickly surround them.
"Way to go Xion!" Says Roxas. Simba looks at them in confusion but pushes it out of his mind to confront the hyenas.
"Tell us about Scar's ghost! Now!" Roars Simba.
"Oh yes, now it's coming back to me." says the female hyena "That's the one that appears to fraidy-cats right?" she says mockingly. Suddenly there's a familiar sinister laugh behind them, and the heroes turn to see another apparition of Scar. The hyenas take this chance to quickly limp off while the heroes are distracted.
"Tell me. . .Simba, does it feel great to be king?"
"Simba? What are you waiting for? Do something!" says Roxas, but Simba's heart hesitates
"You must be one inspirational ruler. After all, you ARE the son of the great Mufasa." says the ghost mockingly. Simba stops and looks to his left, and then his right, before running off.
"Where are you going!?" Yells Roxas. But he disappears.
"Ah, Simba. . . running away as always." remarks the ghoul, before disappearing in a cloud of darkness.
"Simba!" Yells Roxas and Xion, quickly chasing after him. Roxas and Xion lose sight of him and head to Pride Rock, but when they arrive, something amiss.
"Where's Simba?" asks Nala
"Well. . ." Says Roxas, beating around the bush.
"It's as Rafiki says. His mind is made up, but his heart, it's hesitating," says Xion.
"Oh ho ho! He ran away!" exclaims Rafiki."I knew it would not be easy for him." Says the shaman. "To face his fears, he must go somewhere where the only thing to think of is what to do, not what others think of him."
"Wait, why didn't you say that earlier?" asks Roxas. The shaman only laughs in response.
"Well, I guess we're off to the oasis then." Says Xion, as she turns to head to the deep jungle. Roxas quickly follows. They race across the savannah, Weave around the rocky peaks in the Wildebeest Valley, and then they find themselves at a familiar dropoff. Xion stops dead in her tracks as she looks at the familiar location.
"Xion?" Roxas gives her a concerned look. She looks at him, and then at the cliffs. She takes a deep breath and sprints to the cliff's edge before jumping across the large gap and landing on the opposite side. Roxas smiles and joins her. Xion looks back at the cliffs where they once were.
"You're special to me," says Xion. Roxas turns to face her.
"What?" asks Roxas.
"That's what you said to me, right here, remember?" says Xion. "You're special to me . . . nobody else is able to make me feel like you do. . ." Xion giggles and faces Roxas. "I was so blind then that I couldn't even tell what you really meant then. I was so worried you would turn me down when I told you how I really felt, but you had already told me your feelings long before then." Xion says smiling at her beloved. "I had let my past and my fear control everything about me, but, you came to me, you helped me when I needed you most and now. . . I'm free." Xion says. She gives Roxas a nuzzle before stepping back. "I'm glad I could come here and see just how much has changed since then. . ."
"Yeah. . ." Roxas says, giving her a big smile. The two look into each other's eyes for a moment, forgetting everything, before a familiar voice rings in their head.
"Hey! Both of you! You have to help Simba! Remember?" Says the voice of Namine. The two are snapped back to reality and nod.
"Your right, Let's go Roxas." Xion replies Roxas nods and the two heroes continue to make their way to the oasis. Running by the wastelands and finally arriving at the oasis.
"Hmm. It seems even your daddy's abandoned you. How sad." Says the voice of a scar apparition to Simba. Simba backs away from the apparition, getting ever so closer to a cliff's edge.
"Simba!" The two shout, sprinting at the Scar apparition. The ghoul disappears in a cloud of smoke and leaves the three to themselves. Simba sighs.
"It's no use. I'll never be the king my father was." Simba says, depressingly.
"Simba. . . That's not what you're supposed to be." Says Xion.
"Yeah. You are not your father. You're yourself, and nobody else." says Roxas.
"Yeah. . . I know that. . ." says Simba.
"Then stop moping, and DO something!" Roxas exclaims.
"I can't!" yells Simba. Roxas growls a little.
"Fine, Let's go Xion. . ." Says Roxas. Turning to face away from Simba and walking away.
"But Roxas-" Xion protests
"What? Why should we try if he won't." Roxas replies, before continuing on. Xion looks to Roxas, then Simba and Roxas again. As they get near the exit of the Oasis they look at the king of the pride, faced by yet another Apparition. He Roars and Slashes at the Scar apparition, and it disappears. The two smirk and rejoin the king.
"Guess you really do have it in you." Says Roxas smirking.
"Yeah. . . I guess I just needed one last push." Says Simba, with a mixture of shock and joy
"Mhm. Now let's get going! We need to go back to Rafiki." Says Roxas. Simba nods and they make their way back to Pride Rock. While walking, Namine's voice rings in Roxas's mind.
"Roxas, you weren't actually planning on leaving Simba, were you?" asks Namine.
"Of course not. I was just trying to get through to him, and that was one of the few things I could think of." Roxas replies.
"And if it didn't work?" asks Namine
"Well uh, I didn't have a plan for that," Roxas admits.
". . . dude," Namine says, judging Roxas.
"Look okay I'm not the plans guy, I just like to hit things really hard." Says Roxas. He can hear Namine giggling.
"All right, well I'm glad it worked out in the end. Good luck." Says Namine before cutting communications.
The three arrive at Pride Rock and enter the stone hollow.
"So, the heart as made up its mind I see." Says the shaman, Simba nods his head.
"Yes, But we still need your help. I can face Scar, but I need to know how to stop them." Says the king of the pride. Suddenly, the earth below them shakes wildly,
"I think you know the answer." Says the shaman. "Now go! Your last trial awaits at the Savannah!" Exclaims Rafiki. The heroes nod and quickly make their way to the savannah Upon arriving they find a vast amount of darkness gathering around, before taking the form of a massive heartless, larger than anything the heroes had ever seen. The three dodge as the heartless stomps around, creating massive shockwaves of darkness as the earth shakes. Xion climbs up onto the massive beast and jumps into the air, and striking through its neck, sending the creature to the ground. Roxas and Simba slash at the beast with their claws and the Fallen Kingdom keyblade. The creature stirs and prepares to get back up. Xion turns around to see a large monkey-like heartless
Xion jumps as it shoots an electric beam at her, she lands to the side and sprints at the heartless, before slashing at its face, cutting it in half, before striking it over and over again with her heartless writhes before flying into the air and crashing into the massive beast, disappearing in a cloud of smoke as the heartless is reenergized. The Massive heartless stomps around while Xion holds onto the ground for dear life, Roxas and Simba jump as high as they can to strike at the heard of the heartless, makings sure to sprint and doge around the savannah as fire erupts from the ground, as well as the fire spewed out of the heartless's mouth. Finally, Xion manages to slash at the monster's neck yet again and causes it to come crashing down. Roxas and Simba attack yet again while Xion stands her ground and waits for the monkey heartless to appear yet again. Upon the creature standing on its feet yet again, the monkey appears and Xion strikes with all the force in her small hyena body. The creature is knocked back by the sudden force, before Xion uses as much energy as she can to cast the strongest and longest-lasting lightning strike she can, the heartless writhes and shakes as electricity courses through its dark body, before Xion jumps from a great height, Simba dashes and catches Xion before picking up Roxas and Running as fast as he can, they make it just far away enough to avoid the massive heartless's body crashing onto the ground. The body disappears in a massive cloud of smoke, and a single large heart rises into the air, before disappearing.
The three return to Pride Rock and receive cheers from all that watched. Simba and Nala look on at their kingdom from the cliff's edge of pride rock, while Xion and Roxas stand aside, next to Rafiki, near the den.
"The pride lands will not forget the courage of its new king." Exclaims Rafiki, before turning to Roxas and Xion "Or the courage of those who fought beside him." Simba and Nala turn and walk to the three.
"Do you think your quest will ever be over?" asks Simba.
"We don't know. . ." Says Xion.
"As long as we're alive, we'll keep on fighting." Says Roxas with determination.
"Ahh. .. The struggle never ends. That is the great Circle of Life." Says Rafiki. "But the secret to victory. . . Is a strong heart." The four smile at the great shaman. "Now go, go! There are others who await you!" exclaims Rafiki. Roxas and Xion nod, before turning to Nala and Simba.
"Until we meet again, your majesty." Says Roxas.
"Hopefull that won't be too long." He responds, smiling.
"We hope so as well." Says Xion. The two heroes materialize their keyblades and put them together in an X formation, before disappearing in a flash of light.