Disclaimer: This chapter contains discussions of violence and alcohol consumption that might not be suitable for all readers. Reader's discretion is advised. This may also apply to previous and future chapters.

Third Person P.O.V.

It was a Saturday night in an elaborately decorated apartment in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. In a kitchen with white walls and several black granite countertops, three individuals were having a couple of drinks. But this occasion was not particularly joyous in atmosphere. Simba, Kion and Bunga, all in their hybrid anthro forms, were drinking in excess to try to alleviate and vent what they have been feeling recently.

"Man…..2020 has been a shit fest of a year so far and we haven't even passed the first month yet…And you were a lot of help….DAD….with that suspension you gave me." Kion said sarcastically, then proceeded to take another sip of his beer bottle, his third bottle of the night.

"Sorry Kion….I regret it too….but I was under a lot of pressure because if I didn't suspend you or do anything, then it would look bad for me, and the museum's image and it could have made me risk a lawsuit from that Mariani guy….." Simba replied.

"Well why couldn't you just fire that guy then?" Bunga asked in a patronizing tone.

"I can't just fire anyone willy nilly Bunga! Trust me I learned that the hard way, and since that wimp did nothing to provoke any justifiable cause to fire him, I could have potentially risked another lawsuit for firing someone without just cause! Ugh you too are annoying me so much with your whining!" Simba said as he took another sip from his drink, which unlike Kion's was a glass of bourbon.

"Well sorry…..I didn't know that man. We've all had issues recently and I bet we all know the course of our problems…." Bunga said irritably while raising his beer bottle.

"HUMANS!" All three said in unison.

"They have corrupted everyone we knew and loved from our past life….." Bunga said.

"They corrupted our friends, our families, and tore apart healthy relationships…..twice in my case." Kion said angrily.

"And with all these ideas and utter nonsense they propagate…." Simba said.

"Like 'let the people vote for their leaders' or 'people have the freedom to criticize their leaders' or 'let the people have a say in how the government is run' or 'Simba, this isn't working out, we should see other people'...OH WHAT BULLSHIT!" Simba said in a mocking tone before transitioning to an angry one, practically slamming his glass on the countertop.

"What happened to our days in a place where there was real order and stability…..where the subject were loyal to a leader's will, instruction and command…..where there was still a monarchy based on tradition and trust in a lineage…not like many of the nations and governments that exist in the human world." Simba added.

"Yeah…..I miss those days, running around defeating bad guys to protect both the Pride Lands and the Tree of Life…Keeping order while also having a little fun." Bunga said.

"Yeah….when I had control over my life and was able to live in places where I was respected as a leader and protector. A place where those still meant something…..A time when I had true power and control, combined with respect….Man I miss being king and lion guard leader…" Kion said.

"Yeah…I miss being king too….not having to follow all the rules and restrictions that I have to do in this world…" Simba said in an irritable tone, finishing the bourbon in his glass afterwards.

"Yeah you were a great king and father…..I don't know why many of our former Pride Landers keep forgetting that now…..nor how humans can see those qualities you have…..by the way, I'm sorry that Melinda broke up with you…."Kion said.

"I am too…can't believe she said I was self-centered and demanding…..she's the self-centered and demanding one for trying to suggest ways to 'improve our relationship' and 'support each other' after she quits the museum to pursue a position at that insurance company….What kind of person does that?...But I don't care about her, I have a Tinder date tomorrow night." Simba said.

"That's a good way to look at it bro….who should give a shit about Melinda anymore?...You are one of the fairest people I know….though you do have that temper somet-" Bunga said before Kion slapped him on the back of the head before heading to the refrigerator to grab another drink, along with treating himself to a plate of leftover pork in the fridge.

"Shut up Bunga! What the hell is wrong with you!...But he's right, you've always done the right thing and people don't seem to appreciate that about you…..Most humans I know don't seem to be that appreciative period…whether it is my teachers in school, the U.S. Army, the Chicago Police department when they failed me and prevented me from going to the police academy….MARIANI!" Kion said, getting angry when he mentioned the last word, practically slamming the plate on to the counter.

"Watch it Kion! That granite countertop is expensive…..but yeah, that Mariani character seems to be causing all sorts of trouble outside of his work matters, first he starts a relationship with Jasiri….your ex, and then his mother stole your mother from me. It seems like ever since he started out at the museum, all three of our lives went to crap! And the worst part is I can't fire him because he has done nothing for him to get fired." Simba said as Kion went to the drawer adjacent to the fridge to get utensils, while Bunga had a look of realization on his face.

"Now when thinking about it…..I just realized….my relationship with Timon started to crash and burn in a negative direction as soon as that guy started working at the museum….he seems to be some kind of jinx to stability and order we used to have." Bunga said.

"Yeah, he is responsible for the dissolution of relationships from all three of us. That's what I've been trying to tell you Bunga! He's a menace and a curse to the former Royal Family of the Pride Lands….And king of the Tree of Life if you want to include that title…..but not the point." Kion said as he used his fork to take another bite of the meat he was snacking on.

"I get how you feel Kion, but sadly I don't have the power to do anything relating to that guy because again, he didn't do anything that would provoke a 'justifiable termination'...Man I hate having restrictions like this…This might be an unpopular opinion…..but I think I am actually starting to understand Scar now and how he felt about being king….yeah….I get it now." Simba said while pouring himself some more bourbon.

Kion and Bunga turned their heads towards him.

"Sure, he was wrong for killing my father….BUT…now I understand why he desired to be king so much…..along with jealousy of my father…he wanted POWER…..ohhh….the power associated with being king…it's tantalizing to think about…But also along with the power, my guess it that he wanted respect in his own name. Though yes, he had the Lion Guard, but let's just face it, historically most subjects respect and remember the king more than the guard….no offense…..In fact, I don't even know one name of most of the lions in any of the Lion Guards that preceded Scar's guard….with Askari being the one exception. So I guess he also did it because he wanted respect in his own name….funny to say I get it now…..I ACTUALLY get why he did what he did….And when thinking about it, he could have actually had a successful reign and kingdom….he just didn't tie the loose ends…..especially his army of ever-hungry hyenas! Now…sometimes I feel that I am now in that same position that Scar was in when my father was king….but instead of one individual….my obstacle is a bunch of humans… and the traitors I once called fellow Pride Landers…" Simba said, becoming noticeably irritable in the last couple of words, after which he took another drink from his glass before slamming his glass on the counter.

Kion first stared at his own father with a blank expression on his face, after which he started to smile and started to even lightly chuckle.

"Man….you start to get Scar now…...I thought I was the only one!" Kion said.

His response made Simba and Bunga's eyebrows raised, and Simba started to have a surprised yet delighted expression on his face.

"Really?" Simba replied.

"Oh absolutely…and NO, it has nothing to do with the scar on my face…I feel like I now relate to Scar because like him and you...I once had power, control, order and respect…It was absolutely magnificent. I totally get why Scar did what he did, because he didn't want any in the way or being forced to share that sweet sense of power with anyone else…When thinking about it now, if was in his paws, I wouldn't have wanted to wait or share the power or leadership position either…and I still would not like to share leadership titles with anyone…Not Lion Guard leader, not Tree of Life king, not any leadership position I get offered….And even though it is through different circumstances, I realized that Scar and I actually do have more in common than I initially thought…Aside from the second born, Lion Guard and royal lineage stuff….we both had a desire to build respect from our own names, we love the benefits of power and respect, we're willing to do any possible thing to achieve any goal we ever had in mind…and we both were more complex than most people perceive us to be….." Kion said as he took another bite of the pork he was eating.

"...Funny thing….have I ever told you guys about the first time I killed someone?...And no, I'm not talking about hunting because that was for survival….Actually Bunga you were there, it was the rogue we killed whose group took over the Tree of Life and expelled us. I distinctly remember that I didn't really feel anything about taking a life….but I brushed it off since it was a case of self-defense and survival since they were part of a group trying to kill us…..But the one that stands out particularly to me was when I was serving in Afghanistan…." Kion said as he grabbed a steak knife that was on the counter and started to play around with it, passing it from one hand to another and occasionally touching the flat metal part away from the tip.

"Man, how do I remember that day….so it was Afghanistan….about nine or ten years ago…our unit was being attacked by enemy fire…..two of our members got injured and both sides were putting out around equal amounts of fire at each other. I was also one of the soldiers firing rounds but at first, I kept missing…until I saw one of the enemy troops…clear in my path of vision. Though the soldier was aiming for a different soldier in my unit….I shot the enemy soldier twice…..Just two shots and they were down…it was the first time I ever killed someone…...thought I was surprised that it was possible to kill someone that fast…I honestly felt nothing when I did it…..not guilt….not fear….not relief…..nor anger or sadness… . nothing. The guy was there one minute….gone the next….Based on what I heard, humans would have called me a 'psycho' or 'insensitive' for not feeling anything the first time I took a life. Some called me insensitive, I thought they were over-reacting. That conversation is a whole loop whenever I bring it up to the slightest in humans…." Kion said as he grabbed another beer bottle from the counter.

"But….along not feeling anything…there was another something I felt…..adrenaline…..it actually gave me a rush after shooting the guy….I felt…..I felt as if I had gained back the control I felt I once lost…That….addicting feeling of power…..passing through every inch of my body during that time." Kion said, pausing as his eyebrows started to rise and a small smile starting to form on his face.

"After the fact…..I started to feel a tingling in a way…..I realized that I had the ability to control life and death within my own two hands….I had actual power again…..Soon after that, I was eager to be a part of live combat. You should have seen me out there guys….I was shooting and killing fighters on the other side left to right. I could have lasted a year there….even two….unlike that sorry ass softie Beshte who shot himself in the foot after only five months of duty because he couldn't handle the realities of war….And he was once the strongest member of the Lion Guard?...Please…..he is the strongest wimp and coward as far as I can see…" Kion said as he continued to drink, letting out a snort of derision in the last sentence he spoke.

"So soon, I was getting tired of just killing enemy fighters with my team, so I decided to hunt some alone. I would be both getting the thrill I had then obtained, plus I thought that I would get respect from my superior officer for the work I am doing. Even when I told my superior officer about my plan, rejected it and 'forbade' me to do it. But you know what….I did it anyway…..that guy was too stubborn to deviate from his pattern and I knew he would regret rejecting my plan. So one night, I snuck out without them looking with my gun and some tactical gear and started to search for enemy soldiers. That's when the action started…..It was slow the first hour of my excursion…but then I found a camp where I suspected enemies were hiding and I started shooting every person there….some who had guns. After shooting several men, I explored around the camp further and found an area that was crowded with people that I suspect we important operatives of this camp…..I didn't care that unarmed men, women and children were present…I needed to kill anyone in sight…prove my superior officer how wrong he was and that I still am a fierce fighter…but my unit caught up with me and interrupted my plan. Apparently, it is considered a court martial offense if I have killed any civilians….even if they might have associated with opposing forces. I guess I was lucky, and I didn't kill any of the civilians in that camp, but I did injure a few…..after that I was kicked out of active duty and the army altogether….Dishonorably discharged…can you believe that? Not even willing to give me a second chance because I in what my old superior officer called 'royally and utterly fucked up', calling me a psycho and all that. Thus, linking back to that insensitive-overreacting discussion we just had. Sometimes I just wish that we…our family….you guys and I…had our own order….when we ruled and had an order where we were respected …" Kion said before taking another drink of his beer.

The three of them had neutral expressions on their faces when Simba had a moment of realization.

"What if we could….." Simba said with a pensive smile, which evolved into a smirk.

"What do you mean bro?" Bunga said.

"I mean…..we can try to create a new world…..a new order that brings back the old world…..As in, I can run for a political office which I can gain influence to infiltrate human political powers, eventually gain enough wealth, power and even some force to make our way all the way to the White House. Eventually, we can bring back our kingdom and we can have the power and respect that we are and have always been destined for. And soon we can be the dominant powers restoring the order and kingdom that our family was blessed with in the beginning" Simba said with his enthusiasm climbing after each sentence he says, even slamming his hand on the counter as he gave a confident stare to Kion and Bunga.

A few seconds of silence followed before Simba started to talk again…but this time, only five simple words came out.

"So, what do you think?" Simba asked in a calm and inquisitive tone.

This was again followed by more silence for almost a minute, consisting of pensive stares and inquisitive looks.

Soon, Kion and Bunga started to look at each other. A smile started to curl up on Kion's face, and soon Bunga started to form the same smile on his face.

"I think it's actually a great idea….An excellent idea I would say….we need to once again fulfill our destinies to lead…and infiltrate human political structures. With some eventual money, connections and a lot of force…..we will be victorious, we will be kings again and we will not have to bend down to the will of either an idiot human or one of our traitors that we used to call our Pride Landers!" Kion said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I'm in too! Let's cause some chaos and build a new kingdom! Or should I say rebuild our old one!" Bunga said enthusiastically.

"Wait Bunga, we can't just cause chaos just yet. If we do that, our long-term goal will fail immediately. We have to do a lot of convincing for the right people to fund our cause. We can't just say that we are looking to grow a strong enough army to turn the United States into our personal kingdom because no one would fund that outright. We just have to put it under the guise of just an average political campaign as a place to start off and then we will use force when the time is right. How can I not win? You guys already know that I am great at convincing people, I was a king and now I am a CEO, and President of a major museum." Simba replied.

"That also brings me back to your point Kion, about the people that we once called Pride Landers, I can potentially bring them back to our side and our army can be even stronger. So, we only have to be cautious about the ones who won't join our side…and there are definitely some concerning individuals I can think of in that category. But that's for a later day." Simba said, with Kion nodding in response as he was getting a cutting board and a kitchen knife to cut more pieces of a leftover pork loin from Simba's fridge.

"Yeah, and perhaps our cause will be good enough to convince Timon to leave that waste-of-space Gary." Bunga said.

"And I am looking forward to when we get to the parts where we handle those who disagreed and have wronged me in the past." Kion said as he was cutting the pork.

"By the way, when we get there, Mariani is mine!" Kion said loudly, as his knife cuts started to get louder and louder with each passing time.

"Ohhh…..how he screwed me over when he stole any chances, I have of getting Jasiri back, and then how his mother stole mom from us. Ohhhh when I get my claws and hands on him…I am going to give him a whole world of pain until he can't feel it anymore!" Kion said, almost shouting when he used the knife to stab the pork loin in front of him, which ended up also going through two centimeters of the wooden cutting board.

"Watch it Kion, I know you are eager to deal with those who wronged you, but don't take it out on my cutting board and one of my good knives." Simba said nonchalantly as Kion pulled the knife out of the pork and cutting board.

"I guess with how this proposal seems to be leaning towards, I guess we really are more similar to Scar than we thought." Kion said.

"Yeah, but except for getting hyenas to do our dirty work, we will get the naive and gullible humans to support us and leave themselves into their own suffering." Simba said as he grabbed the glass he was drinking from and raised it in the air.

"A toast, to propose a plan to create a new order to eventually gain back the power, glory, and respect we once had and deserve." Simba said.

Kion and Bunga began to raise their beverages up to join Simba in the toast.

"Cheers to that!" Bunga said.

"Indeed, cheers to that!" Kion said.

"I am so glad that you two are on board with my little proposal….Now let's discuss the first step of our plan….." Simba said.