In the secret underground lair of Rafiki, the kids were scared and didn't exactly know what was going on with the Pride Lands right now, or how they can stop this from getting worse. Kion seemed to the be the one most shaken and scared from all of this evil going on in his own homeland. But, despite it, he didn't want to show it, for he believed that if he showed fear in the slightest way, it would show a weakness, and he believed that since he was the leader of the Lion Guard, he needed to be as brave as possible and not show any fear or "so-called" weakness.
Still, on the inside, he was scared of this, and no one would blame him if he was. Simba, Nala, and the other lions looked scary and terrifying with the red eyes glowing on them, and those... wicked, evil grins showing on the faces.
The cub was thinking of ways to have everything back to normal or ways to fix this situation, or prevent this horrific nightmare going from bad to worse. Kion didn't even know what to do to fix this whole thing or what he could do to stop this nightmare. Rafiki was a very wise old mandrill, he knew. So maybe, just maybe Rafiki can find a way to prevent this. Kion came up to him while the monkey was pacing to and fro. "Rafiki, can you tell us what is going on here?"
"Of course." said the old monkey. "Kion and friends, this is the work of Inuwa the Shade."
"Who is that?" Asked Fuli
"Inuwa is a very foul, wicked lion that Mufasa and Scar fought before. You see children: Inuwa wasn't always like this. No. He was like any other lion in his younger days. He was a lion that crafted a Pride of his own. He was somehow corrupted by a very dark magic and turned him into the monster that Mufasa and Scar had fought off and won."
All the kids looked a little more nervous hearing about Inuwa and his background. "So is he powerful?"
"More powerful than you can imagine, Bunga." Rafiki answered the honey badger. "Which was why he managed to brainwash most of the animals in the Pride Lands with his dark magic. Alas, that was when Mufasa, Scar, and the original Lion Guard defeated him and killed him before he could take over everything."
"But wait," said Kion, "how did he return?"
"Those reasons, I am quite unsure of, my boy." The baboon continued explaining some more. "His return just happened quite so suddenly, and he caught us all by surprise."
"You can say that again." Kifaru remarked, "he turned the whole sky red and it just looks evil."
"Indeed, Inuwa is not a force to be reckoned with, or be taken lightly. But, not to worry, thatbis why old Rafiki here will help you out with this problem in any way I can. I do not know when the solution will come up, but Mufasa will show me the way, along with Sarabi, and the kings of the past. Why the sky is red, the kings of the past still watch us from the glittering stars. They can show us all the way to fix this mess."
"We all hope so." said Beshte, "this is getting scary."
"Your fears are quite understandable, Beshte," said Rafiki, "but you have to overcome your fear and fade them just to get past them. Not saying you all go and fight Inuwa of course, but I meant stay strong and never lose hope. Now, as for me, I will be creating a special brew to cure the lions, elephants, rhinos, hippos, and all the other animals affected by Inuwa's wicked magic."
"But what if they find us down here?" asked Ono.
"Do not worry, I have known this tree for a long time, long before you were all born. I am perfectly capable of keeping this a secret from any enemy who would try and break in the bark. The entrance here is unseen by most, except me of course. All we have to do is stay here and wait until my elixir is complete."
Kion didn't like the sound of this and he knew that the members of his family and all the other infected members of the Pride Lands were all suffering on the inside from this monster's magic. "Rafiki, what is a shade?"
"A shade is a ghost from any deseaced creature, a very dark ghost. These ghosts come from the shadows and anything to do with them is bad news. Always best to avoid the Shade, Kion."
"And you don't really know how to stop him?"
"Unfortunately, no. As I have mentioned. When Mufasa and Scar defeated Inuwa, we all thought it was gone for good. But, alas, I was obviously wrong about this." A thought came into Rafiki's head, and he added: "perhaps his body was permanently vanquished, but his spirits his flame survived and went into hiding somehow."
"I need to go back out there." Kion said. "It sounds like it's me he wants if my own brainwashed family is trying to get me."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Ono stopped him, "you're going back out there? Confronting Inuwa would just be plain crazy. You probably wouldn't even last a minute against him... no offense."
"We don't want to lose you, Kion." said Bunga before he hugged the lion cub tightly with his arms before exclaiming: "I don't wanna lose you forever!" before burying his face into Kion's rigth side of his torso.
This made the cub a little uncomfortable and he laughed nervously. "Bunga, Bunga, it's ok. I have the Roar of the Elders, remember?"
"I am afraid it's not that simple, Kion." Rafiki said. "There are some things even the Roar of the Elders cannot fix. Going out there and facing Inuwa would be complete and utter suicide."
"But... my family..." Kion tried to explain, but he was realizing that Rafiki was right. He and his friends were greatly outnumbered by possibly all the Pride Lands to him and a few other ones unaffected by this sinister magic. Not only that, but he was still a little shaken and terrified by how his family had been turned evil, and he didn't know if he could face them all in this state again.
"Kion, are you alright?" Kifaru asked.
"I'm thinking. And... maybe Rafiki's right."
"I do sense fear growing in you, Kion." the baboon noticed. "I can feel it inside of you."
"What? Fear?" Kion said in denial, "no, no, no, I am not afraid. I am not afraid of anything. I'm the leader of the Lion Guard, and I'll figure a way out of this. I'm supposed to be one of the bravest animals out in the Pride Lands." He looked away slightly, and he questioned himself if he was brave or not. But, alas, he was afraid of this.
"Kion, it's okay if you're afraid." said Ono. "I mean, we wouldn't blame you if you are."
"I'm not scared." Kion said. "Besides, I'm not supposed to be scared. I'm the leader of the Lion Guard. Leaders... aren't really supposed to get scared." Although he was scared in the inside, he didn't want to show it even in front of his own friends.
What would grandfather Mufasa say, or what would grandmother Sarabi say about this? "Kion, you do not have to be ashamed to be scared." Rafiki said
'Yeah, even though I don't really like to say it," Fuli remarked, "but I am afraid of going in caves."
"Oh. You never told me that." Kion said.
"Well, now I have." The cheetah looked a little ashamed, but she wanted to help her friend understand.
"Where did he go?" said a voice from outside the tree. It was Vitani, who is obviously looking for Kion and his cronies. "He couldn't have gone that far. Maybe he's in that tree where Rafiki lives."
"No, Rafiki is a very clever mandrill." Said another voice. It was Zira. "He evacuated somewhere so he is not up in the tree. "Come on, Kion is around here. We just need to keep looking. The poor dear is possibly shaken from Inuwa's return."
"And he is my brother-in-law." Vitani added. The two brainwashed lionesses then walked away and what Kion was hearing from them made his heart beat faster than before. What would Inuwa want with him anyway? Did he want to kill him? Does he have something special in mind for the poor cub?
What Kion knew was that; it would not be good if he was captured and brought to his grandfather's old foe. "Whew, that was close." Bunga said
"Yeah, they could have found us."
"I told you this secret hideout in my tree would come in handy." Rafiki said.
Then the honey badger felt something in his bladder like it was about to explode. "Uh-oh. I have to use the bathroom!" Bunga grunted.
Everyone in the tree groaned at Bunga's stupidity. "Seriously, Bunga?" Fuli complained. "Why are you doing this now?"
"I didn't gave to go then." Bunga complained.
Kion groaned and said, "don't worry, Bunga, come on. I'll help you. The cub peeked over the entrance to the secret lair, and saw that the coast is clear. No brainwashed animals around to try and kill him or his family to capture him. "Okay Bunga, let's go, and make it quick."
"Of course. I am fast." Bunga replied
The two were not far from the baobab tree when the honey badger finally found a good spot to do his business. Kion was extremely irritated, and a good reason: because this is a very serious situation. Of course, Bunga cannot help for who he is.
About ten to eleven seconds passed and Bunga was finished. "Okay, back to the tree." He sang, as if it didn't mean anything to him anymore.
"Next time, try not to do this again, Bunga." Kion sighed before coming back to the baobab tree with his best friend. Suddenly, something was stalking them in the grass. Kion's heart was racing like crazy and he tried to prepare himself.
When something popped out of the bushes, the kids let out a small scream of fright, but it revealed to be two unexpected faces. "Kion? Bunga?"
"Timon? Pumbaa?" Kion said. "You're not brainwashed?"
"Brainwashed?" Pumbaa asked, "I don't think you can wash a brain."
The meerkat facepalmed at his hest friend's usual ignorance, and said: "no buddy, he means like a mind control type of brainwashing."
"Oh. Well Zazu has been acting weird. Many animals have their eyes glowing red and sounding evil." The warthog said.
"That's because he had been brainwashed by Inuwa." Kion said.
"Who is Inuwa?" Timon asked while scratching his head. "Sounds familiar."
"An evil lion with dark magic powers." Bunga said.
"What?" The dimwitted best friends exclaimed in horror.
"Ah, there you are, Kion." said a familiar voice that sounded a little sinister. Kion, Bunga, Timon and Pumbaa looked to see Nala and Simba with evil smiles and red glowing eyes. "We are sl glad we found you, sweetie." Nala said.
"Yes, your mother and I were very worried about you, Kion. Come back home with us and join us." Simba added. "There is no need to be afraid of us, or lord Inuwa."
"As a matter of fact," said Nala, "our master is dying to meet you.'
"No. No, I won't do it." said Kion, shaking a little bit.
"Guys, what has gotten into you?" Timon asked. "This isn't like you!"
"Are you guys trying to prank us or something?" Pumbaa asked. "Come on, this isn't funny."
"Oh quiet, you two." Simba coldly said. "We are still thr king and queen of the Pride Lands. And if you must know, we are fine."
"Just evil." Nala added before letting out a chuckle.
"Uhhh, Kion?"
"Yeah Timon?"
The meerkat and warthog then exclaimed at the top of their lungs: "RUUUUUUUUNNNNN!"
without hesitation, the cub did just that, ran off with a quick spurt and he was determined to get away from his brainwashed family as far as he could go.
Funeral Bell by Black Label Society plays
The parents growled and followed him in pursuit at great speed. Mion was running for his dear life and he wanted to get away from this nightmare. He didn't go back in Rafiki's secret room, because he didn't want to compromise the location to the enemy like this, and he didn't want his friends to be in danger.
Suddenly, Zazu appeared in front of him while running, still having red glowing eyes. "Kion, you are absolutely going about this the wrong way. There truly is nothing to be afraid of."
"Get out of my way, Zazu!" Kion shouted as he evaded the hornbill. While still running for his dear life, he bumped into someone, as if he had bumped into a tree and felt dizzy, but not completely dizzy. He was looking in the face of the corrupted Vitani.
"Kion, there you are." said Vitani. She reached out a paw and Kion covered his eyes, thinking that his life was just finished, but he felt a soft touch by the tomboy lioness. "You will love this feeling, Kion. Now come here, let me give you a hug and come with us."
"No! I won't do it!" Kion screamed before running away again. However, before that, Vitani tried to swipe at him with her other paw, but missed. "I gotta get out of here!" He shouted while panting. He saw the three corrupted lions gaining on him, and Kion began running faster than ever.
"You can't run forever, kiddo!" Vitani sang.
"You can run, but you can't hide!" Nala sang after
"Just give up and join us!" Called out Simba.
He was suddenly pounced by Kovu and he was chuckling as he caught his own brother-in-law. "We got ya now, Kion."
"I think not, Kovu!" the cub exclaimed before biting one of Kovu's fingers to break free.
"Tricky tricky, little buddy!" Kovu shouted with a growl.
The cub caught sight of Zira trying to pounce on him, but Kion made another spurt and dodged before Zira could even touch him. This was becoming even more and more scary to the poor cub she he didn't know how much further he can go to before he loses all his breath.
Alas, he had to get as far away as possible and he would have to run as far as he could to not deal with his own family under the influence of Inuwa. He was getting more tired the more miles he was running at. Left with no other options he saw a chasm with a waterfall below him and jumped a couple of rocks to climb down from above and he wes running again.
He can plainly see that his brainwashed family was still pursuing him from above, and his head grew a little dim and blurry, and the strength was already leaving him. It was that, he had burned his energy out like a candle, and he collapsed of exhaustion, unable to run anymore.
A few hours have passed since Kion's attempt to to run away from his possessed family, and he was still sleeping after collapsing of exhaustion. The cub was sleeping so soundly as he felt something warm and soft brush against his body. "Kion," said a soothing female voice. It sounded a lot like Kiara. "Wake up, Kion."
"Come on, son." Nala sang.
"Rise and shining." Kiara added in a sing-song tone of voice. It was as calm and soft as the summer breeze. "Wakey-wakey."
At last, the cub slowly opened his eyes and he saw that he was back inside Pride Rock, and his brainwashed family was inside, looking at him.
Another thing that caught him off-guard was: his body was covered with something similar to a cocoon or blanket, as shining black as tar. He tried to break free, but he couldn't move, and his muscles were sore after all that running.
"Sleep well, Kion?" Nala asked him with red still burning in her eyes, and showing an evil smile once more.
"Yeah. I... I feel a little sore." the cub admitted.
"Oh, my poor baby brother." Kiara teased in a soft voice. "What's the matter? Used so much of your strength, you can't move anymore?"
"Guys, what is this?"
"It's a pod that our lord made to keep you from running away again." Simba said. "But don't worry, he'll be here any minute. And he is dying to meet you, son."
"Guys, please, you have to fight it. I know you're all suffering inside." Kion pleaded with them all once more.
"Kion, it's okay," said Kovu, "once you become a part of us, all the pain will go away."
"And lord Inuwa says that he has taken a small liking to you, squirt." Vitani added. "And don't be so scared. We're still your family."
Poor Kion grunted and looked around. "And it is no use trying to break free. The pod that our master created is the toughest substance you can ever imagine."
Suddenly, the air grew a little cold, and from outside of the cave, was Inuwa himself, looking terrifying and intimidating, especially with the mild black aura surrounding him. "You're... you're him." Kion recognized him.
"Ah. The famous Kion of the new Lion Guard in the flesh." said Inuwa in amusement. "It is quite an honor to meet you at last. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Inuwa, the lord of darkness." He let out an evil chuckle and Kion gulped, knowing that something terrible would happen.
