AN: Man, this story is really on a roll! Thank you, guys, and sorry for the delay! I've been traveling from New England to Illinois and Michigan recently, but now I finally have more time to continue.
TMNTTLK lover – the atmosphere's getting hot, so I can't promise anything… But I'm sure Kovu will do whatever he can to defend his kingdom. Right?
Hvedrungsson – hm, that's a clever thought. Too bad Kovu didn't think of it. Guess he's too preoccupied.
Willian – I think Kovu will do whatever is necessary. He just needs proof, and wants to obtain it from another source than Scar or Zira. That's a rational thing to do, no? I don't think a war is going to happen. Kovu just wants safety for his land. But is Kion really a threat? Guess we'll find out soon.
Jzak98 – so you believe Scar? I mean, I don't blame you. Who knows, maybe he's telling the truth. Even villains do that, sometimes.
T3ddyBearL0ve – why thank you! I'll do my best not to disappoint you. Good speculations, but make sure to stay tuned to find out if all of them were correct ;)
Mamaluigi24 – (sweats profusely) what do you mean, heh-heh? Kion isn't guilty? Nooo, c'mon. Impossible. Seems like somebody's on to me. Very good, but the final answer might surprise even you!
Rey Bee – same. Didn't watch the Lion Guard, either. But I love to play with the characters. Let me know if the story goes the way you think it's going to.
Chapter 9 – Gorillas
The Pridelands have become much less of a home for him than he had expected. He once thought the Outlands were terrible, and dreamed of moving back to the lush land where he was born. But his kingdom had grown hostile, confusing, and grim. Much more so than even the desert country of his exile.
There was nothing left for him to do there, it seemed. Too many enemies, too many unreliable friends. At this point, Kovu was almost sure of Kion's guilt, yet his conscience did not allow him to exact judgement on his mate's brother based on speculation alone. He had once been treated similarly, after all, and he would not repeat Simba's mistake. Yet Kovu still had doubts about the advice his stepfather gave him. Could anyone rational trust Scar, after all? Instead, he needed to do exactly that which his mother had once taught him- trust in himself.
There were others who could have known the full truth. Some of them were too far away now, but he knew of at least one whom, perhaps, he would be able to reach. A member of Kion's old Lion Guard, one who lived with him at the Tree of Life and undoubtedly witnessed what had happened there before the Nightprider king's return to his home land. Kovu decided to take his chances. With that, heedless of Scar's warning, he set out for the jungle.
The journey through the desert was long and arduous, yet he hastened his steps, knowing that he could not leave Pride Rock even under Vitani's watchful eye for very long. He ran through the sands, ignoring his tiredness and thirst, the truth being his goal. The sight of the mighty forest in the distance appeared to him as a mirage, distorted by waves of hot air. Yet when he heard the sounds of the plentiful wildlife which inhabited that place, he knew he wasn't imagining it. He was in the right place. Now the hunt for the lost guardian could begin.
Kovu found this place a much more difficult environment than the savanna of the Pridelands. He had never seen a place so full of life, where the air was permeated with the pollen of a miriad of plants and the scent of a miriad of creatures. He knew that this was where Simba was raised, that Nala found him here after she escaped Pride Rock to look for help during Scar's reign. If she could find a single lion in the vast jungle… that was also possible with other animals. Or at least that was what Kovu kept telling himself.
The lion knew what creature he ought to be looking for- one that did not usually inhabit the jungle. The scent should therefore be easy to recognize. This was his only clue, as he did not know anyone in this strange land… Trying to be as optimistic as possible, Kovu ventured into the wilderness.
He passed through clearings and watering holes, sites where the jungle creatures gathered, but found nothing. The thought that his journey may have been in vain caused him a lot of frustration. The lion now understood why Kiara had mentioned Rafiki. His disappearance was truly an unfortunate one. Perhaps the old shaman would be able to help him now, if anyone knew where he was… Yet, if Kovu had not taken Rafiki's staff, he would probably not know anything about Kion's possible betrayal.
The jungle seemed endless, and after hours of search Kovu wondered if he wasn't simply walking in circles. Pausing by a pond for a drink, he took a closer look around. Something was wrong. He realized that he was alone in that place, and that the usually lively forest had now become dead silent.
That is, until Kovu heard the singing.
-The wild dogs cry out in the niiight, as they grow restless longing for some solitary cooompany. I know that I must do what's right, as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serangettiii… - a high-pitched voice wailed, loud enough to have scared away the animals. – It's all you, bud.
Then, Kovu heard a second voice, which chimed in in a strained, raspy baritone, not exactly reaching the high note.
-I seek to cure what's deep insiiide, frightened of this thing that I've becomeeeee…!
-All together now! – the first voice said enthusiastically, and then both of them joined to form a truly dreadful duet.
-It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from youuu! There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever dooo! I BLESS THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICAAA! Gonna take some time to do the things we never ha-aaAAAD!
Kovu covered his ears, though he couldn't help but smirk. He recognized the voices… as well as the smell of a warthog, which was the actual reason why there was no one in sight right now. Still, this was a pretty fortunate encounter, so ignoring the odor, Kovu ran to meet his friends.
Leaping from behind the bushes he stood right in front of an old warthog with a just as old meercat standing on his back right as they were about to start singing the next verse.
-Hey… - began the lion, but his voice was promptly outshouted. And not by the sound of song.
-AAAAAH! – the duo yelled unanimously, frightened out of their wits.
As the somewhat crestfallen lion stood before them in confusion, Timon jumped off his friend's back, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the overweight body of the fainting Pumbaa. Realizing that the warthog had been scared unconscious, the meercat grabbed a twig at his feet and, holding it like a miniature club, his knees clanking, he stood before Pumbaa in a desperate attempt to defend both of them.
-L-look what ya did, ya big schmuk! Poor Pumbaa, he was always so sensitive! Go on, get outa here before w-we… before I beat you into next week!
Realizing that the stick-swinging meercat still hadn't recognized him, Kovu sighed. Then, stretching out his paw, he grabbed Timon's makeshift weapon, making him stiffen and open his eyes.
-Huh? – gasped the startled meercat, thinking he was about to be swallowed whole.
-Timon, calm down! It's me! – he then heard the lion speak. – Kovu, remember? I came here from the Pridelands!
The mystified mongoose then blinked, squinted, closed his gaping mouth, and smiled.
-Kovu? – he asked. – Kovu! Man, am I glad to see you! We don't get many lions over here, you know. And when we do… yeesh. Things usually aren't pretty. Ol' Pumbaa and I are getting too old for this cat-and-mouse business! – he glanced at his friend, still lying unconscious with his fat belly pointing toward the sky. – Just look at 'em! Totally out cold!
-Is he… okay? – Kovu inquired, attempting to take a step closer. But Timon stood in his way.
-Let me handle this! You already scared him half to death. You don't wanna go all the way, do ya? – he climbed on Pumbaa's mountain-like stomach, grabbed the warthog by the neck, and gave him the biggest slap his little paws could execute. – Pumbaa! Snap out of it!
All of a sudden, the warthog came to, a wheezing sound issuing from his mouth. Unfortunately, as soon as he opened them, his eyes rested on Kovu.
-AAAH! – his scream once again boomed withing the jungle as Pumbaa attempted to crawl back from the predator in front of him, knocking Timon to the ground. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the vegetation behind him, and with sheer terror in his eyes, covered his face with his hoofs. – S-she's gonna eat me! SHE'S GONNA EAT ME!
Timon sent Kovu an exasperated look.
-Sorry, man. Seems he got the flashbacks again.
Dirting off his fur, the meercat marched to stand by the trembling warthog's side.
-Pumbaa! PUMBAA! Look at me! This is not a she! Nala's not here, and as far as I know, she doesn't have a mane! Take a closer look and quit making a show, will ya? This is Kovu, remember? Kiara's guy! He's our friend, he's not gonna eat us!
Soothed by his friend's rational explanation of the true nature of this sudden encounter, Pumbaa stopped hyperventilating and was finally able to think straight. Timon pulled the lion closer by the hair on his chest.
-Look for yourself. It's Kovu. KO-VOO. See the mane? The green eyes? The scar?
-S-scar?! – Pumbaa mumbled, still a bit woozy.
-No! Not Scar! It's Kovu, are you even listening to me?
Once again, Timon's palm landed on Pumbaa's cheek. The warthog shook his head, as if snapping out of some fit.
-Kovu! Gosh, am I glad it's only you! – he stated, finally regaining full consciousness.
All of a sudden, the corpulent pig's attitude changed dramatically, and it seemed as if he wanted to actually embrace the lion out of great relief. Kovu, however, fearing that the stink might knock him unconscious this time, took a prompt step back.
-Y-yeah, it's me, heh-heh. How are you guys doing?
-How are we doing? – Timon asked in amazement. – You better tell us how the Pridelands are doing!
-That's right! – Pumbaa stood on his own legs, wagging his tail in anticipation of good news. – Did ya come to tell us that Simba was finally found? Can we come back home now?
Kovu got really hot under the collar hearing those questions. Obviously, he couldn't reveal everything to Timon and Pumbaa. They had no business in knowing about Nala's death, or Kion possibly turning evil. Still, he needed information from them. Picking his words carefully, he delivered his version of the events stammering, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile.
-Not exactly… Unfortunately, we've not been able to find Simba yet. But I have some good news, too. Kion has returned from the Tree of Life, and wants to help us in the search. Too bad that even with him we haven't been very successful… This is why Kion sent me here to find one of his friends from the Lion Guard, who's supposed to live in the jungle.
The warthog-meercat duo listened to his story intently, becoming a bit worried. This especially applied to Timon, who kept rubbing his chin in deep deliberation.
-So lemme get this straight… you mean to tell me that even your sister's new Lion Guard wasn't able to find Simba, and now they need the help of the old guardians?
Kovu did not appreciate having to lie about Vitani like this, and he was sure that she would not have appreciated it even more. Yet, for the sake of his own goals, he was forced to bend the truth a little.
-I'm afraid so… Kion thinks that the more experienced animals we have looking for Simba in the Pridelands, the greater our chances are going to be. This is why he sent me here.
The lion stood before them still, wondering if they would swallow the bait he was putting out for them.
-Wait a minute – Pumbaa frowned, wondering. – Which one of Kion's guardians did you come here to look for?
-The honey badger – Kovu said, relieved by the change of subject. – Uh, what was his name again? Banga?
-Bunga! – the duo of jungle dwellers exclaimed in unison. – Why didn't you tell us you were lookin' for our boy?
Kovu raised a brow curiously. This sounded interesting.
-Do you mean to tell me you know where he is? – he inquired.
-'Course we know where he is! – Timon exclaimed.
-Kid's been living with us ever since we came back to our old home – elaborated Pumbaa. – It was only natural that we'd team up again. After all, Timon and I raised Bunga right here in the jungle!
The meercat nodded, sharing in his comrade's pride. Kovu could not believe his luck. Exhibiting true happiness this time, he said-
-This is great! Can you take me to him? I gotta… I gotta take him back to Pride Rock!
Actually, what the lion primarily needed from the honey badger, was information. But Timon and Pumbaa did not need to know that for now.
-Uhm, well… - began the warthog, strangely expressing reservation. His meercat friend stopped his snout, though.
-Why, of course we can take you to Bunga! – Timon laughed, yet his voice sounded rather unsteadily. – Just follow us. I'm sure he's somewhere around here…
Once again the small animal mounted the larger one's back, and both of them raced off into the forest.
-Hey, wait you two! – Kovu cried after them, and rushed in pursuit. Timon and Pumbaa's behavior seemed a bit odd to him, but the perspective of finally being able to speak with someone who knew what really happened at the Tree of Life caused him to forget about that.
It quickly turned out that, though his 'uncles' were aware of which general direction Bunga had gone, they did not actually know where the honey badger exactly was. To Kovu's exasperation, he found the duo wallowing through the jungle, calling the former guardian's name.
-Bunga! – cried Timon, putting his paws to his eyes like a pair of binoculars.
-Bungaaa! – Pumba greatly outshouted his friend, his huge bally amplifying the sound of his voice.
Finally, after a few more minutes of screaming, the meercat turned everyone's attention to the top of one of the trees.
-Ey! Look over there! – Timon said. But before the others were able to see what he was pointing toward…
-ZUKA-ZAMA!
Tilting his head at just the right moment, Kovu was still able to catch a glimpse of something big and dark which ejected from one of the taller branches of a nearby tree, bouncing toward something hanging from another bough. The creature grabbed the item mid-air, pulled it off the branch with a loud rustling of leaves, and fell straight to the jungle floor, creating a big thud and general chaos.
-That's our boy! – cheered Timon. Kovu, however, was not as impressed.
-Is he insane? - asked the lion, judging that after such a daring leap Bunga was probably seriously crippled, if not dead.
-Honey badger don't care! – Pumbaa proclaimed just as happily as his comrade, and rushed the visitor onward. – C'mon, Kovu! Let's go talk to Bunga!
-But… - the perplexed feline stammered, yet was forced to follow as the duo were already on their way to the foot of the tree.
As Kovu neared the sight himself, he heard the revolting sound of smacking of lips and belching… but also something much more disturbing. The buzzing of hundreds of bees.
-Careful – Timon warned him, keeping his distance himself along with Pumbaa.
Kovu looked from behind a bush. At the base of the tree, among piles of leaves and broken branches, there sat a fat, adult honey badger. In his paws he held a completely smashed beehive, and digging into it with unmatched zeal, devoured the honey with absolutely zero regard for the furious hive which surrounded him. The bees tried to sting, but they only ended up stuck in the fearless animal's honey-stained fur.
To his astonishment, Kovu observed as Pumbaa, still carrying Timon on his back, also stepped forward without hesitation. It appeared that the warthog's stink successfully repelled the angry insects.
-Hey Bunga! – Timon then called the feasting honey badger, waving his paws in the air. – Hey kid! Others are hungry too, ya know!
Turning from his cherished honeycomb, Bunga blinked, noticing his friends. A huge, goofy smile appeared on his honey-stained face, and he lifted a sticky paw to greet them back.
-Hey uncle Timon! Hey uncle Pumbaa! – he yelled, ignoring the huge lion by the duo's side, somehow. Bunga then focused, and with a swift gesture of his arm, caught a bee in flight, squished it, and with a snap of his digits, ejected the dead insect toward the meercat, who caught it in his teeth while jumping off the warthog's back.
A crunching sound was heard, which caused Kovu's stomach to churn. Timon moaned with delight.
-Ooh! Me next, me next! – Pumbaa also raced forward, and Bunga repeated the gesture, shooting a bee straight between the hungry warthog's tusks.
Feeling that he was about to lose his lunch, Kovu decided to finally step in.
-Erm… can we get down to business, please? I kinda got places to be, you know…
Timon reflected himself, returning to his spot atop Pumbaa.
-Oh, sure thing! Come closer, I don't think the bees will bother us anymore.
And so he did. Walking carefully behind the warthog, who scared off the rest of the hive, Kovu approached the honey badger who went back to his meal as if he really didn't care about the presence of the huge predator. Once again it fell on Timon to get his attention.
-Bunga! – the meercat snapped his fingers. – Can't you see we've got guests?
The honey badger paused, fixed his eyes on the lion standing in front of him, blinked dumbly… and then, with a smile, set his honeycomb aside, walked over, and stretched out to Kovu a dirty, sticky paw.
-Hi, my name is Bunga! Pleased to meet you!
True, Kovu had not seen Bunga in years. Something was wrong, however, and the lion could sense it immediately. The honey badger was acting very strange. Just like there was something wrong with him… particularly his head.
-We've met before – Kovu stated suspiciously, not accepting the animal's handshake. – Don't you remember? I'm Kovu, Kiara's mate.
The badger's smile now became even dumber, if that was even possible. Pulling his dirty paw back awkwardly, he scratched the back of his head, soiling his white fur with honey. Kovu now noticed that Bunga's appearance was far more roughed up than when he was a kid. Several patches of fur were missing from his coat, and the freckles on his face were now accompanied by what looked like scars left by the spines of a porcupine. He had been through some tough times, it was evident. That disturbed Kovu greatly… but there was even something worse- namely, the mark of the Night Pride on Bunga's right shoulder was missing.
-Kiara? – Bunga repeated the name, still smiling innocently like a clueless cub. – Sorry, don't know anyone by that name.
-Kiara. Kion's sister? – Kovu repeated, his voice raising proportionally to the level of his anger. – You remember Kion, right? The Lion Guard? Anything?
Bunga, however, simply shrugged. Not knowing what else to say, he once again turned toward his honeycomb.
-Hey… you want some honey? – he said, completely oblivious. – It's great! There are bees and ants swimming in it! Yum!
This was bad. At this point, Kovu knew that he had been deceived. With a brow arched in blazing wrath, Kovu turned toward Timon and Pumbaa. The duo of friends stood stiff, fake smiles on their faces, yet the lion could see clearly that they were shaking like reeds in the wind.
-What's wrong with him? – Kovu asked them harshly, barely keeping himself from roaring. – Why doesn't he remember anything?!
The seriously spooked Pumbaa fell on his knees before him, pleading.
-Oh please, Kovu! Don't get mad at poor Bunga! Don't blame him for his anemia!
-His what?! – the lion asked, even more irritated.
Seeing that things were starting to get hot, Timon stepped in, standing between Kovu and the warthog.
-Oy, let's cool down, okay? – the meercat raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. – What my corpulent compadre actually wanted to say, is that Bunga has amnesia. Honest, that's how we found 'em! We were just as shocked as you! Kid barely even remembered his name! He didn't recognize his own uncles, who raised him like one of their own! Musta ran into some trouble after he left the Tree of Life, probably fell on his head or something. We were happy he even got here! So, we've been taking care of him ever since… I mean, who knows? Maybe he'll regain his memories one of these days…
Timon did his best to explain the situation to Kovu. Still, after he was done speaking, the lion's piercing stare caused him to flinch, and take a step back just in case. It was evident that Kovu did not want to wait this long. Sending the duo a glare of disdain, he turned his back on them, and went over to the honey badger. Bunga, who once again began devouring the honey from the destroyed beehive, didn't even pay attention to the lion until he charged at him, making the smaller animal trip.
-Huh? – the startled Bunga gasped, looking up at the dark figure of Kovu towering over him.
-Those scars, where did you get them from? – the lion inquired, his tone demanding of an answer.
-I-I-I don't know, I can't remember…
-You used to live in a place called the Tree of Life. You even had a mate there! Why did you leave? Did someone hurt you?
-Uncle Timon, uncle Pumbaa? Is this some new game? It's not very funny…
-No! Listen to me! You had a mark on your right shoulder! What happened to it? Were you exiled? Did someone attack you? What did Kion do? Tell me!
At this point, Kovu's fangs were inches away from Bunga's face. But the honey badger still thought that Kovu was merely joking. Unable to understand why the lion was asking him questions he did not know the answers to, he merely smiled like a simpleton, shrugging.
At this point, Kovu felt Timon's paw on his shoulder.
-Leave the kid alone, Kovu – the meercat spoke silently. – Can't you see? He can't remember anything.
-We're sorry we didn't tell you earlier – Pumba joined his friend. – It's just that… thinking about it makes me so sad!
The warthog looked like he was about to burst into tears. Kovu, however, felt a sorrow much more deeper than his.
All of a sudden, the lion raised his head toward the sky and let out a ferocious roar. Timon and Pumba got knocked back by the power of it, the birds sitting in the branches took off in panic, and even Bunga turned his head away from his beloved honeycomb, amazed.
-Whoah… - gasped the honey badger as if he'd never even seen a lion roar.
Kovu hung his head in resignation. Waving it around, he spoke in a pained voice, expressing his failure.
-I shouldn't have come here… I'm only wasting time. There's no point in taking Bunga to Pride Rock in this state.
Timon and Pumbaa shared a sad look. Unfortunately, Kovu was right, and there was little they could do about it. An awkward silence followed, interrupted only by the sound of Bunga slurping his honey.
Kovu sat on his rump, looking in the distance and thinking what a fool he was when all of a sudden Timon came up to him, giving him a reassuring wrist tap.
-Ey, don't worry, kid! As we say in these parts- hakuna matata! You know, this is a pretty cool place, actually. Don't you wanna stay with us for a while before you go back and start looking for Simba again?
The warthog and the honey badger stood by their friend's side.
-Yeah Timon, that's a great idea! – said Pumbaa. Then, he turned toward Kovu. – You know, there's supposed to be a concert tonight, right here by the falls! A little music will definitely cheer you up!
Unable to fully focus, Kovu looked at the three animals before him in confusion.
-Concert? What concert?
-Ha-ha! Well, just follow us, and you'll find out! – Bunga exclaimed merrily, taking Kovu by the paw. The lion would have taken it back, but the honey which covered the badger's fur caused him to get stuck. Begrudgingly, thinking that he had nothing more to lose at this point, he followed.
A bunch of animals had gathered at the most charming spot at Hakuna Matata Falls under the evening sky. Kovu, however, did not care for the beauty of the scenery, and when the others saw him, Timon and Pumbaa had to explain to the inhabitants of the jungle that the lion meant no harm. Thus, he was allowed to attend the spectacle.
Lying down in a dull melancholy on the cool grass, he listened to a concert performed by four surprisingly talented gorillas. As the young male sang his dreary vocals, the others used logs and rocks as instruments and percussion.
The huge silverback gave the beat, and the primate singer began enchanting the gathered crowd with the sound of his voice. Timon and Pumba nodded their heads to the rhythm, and even the amnesiac Bunga was finally able to focus his attention on something other than eating.
The gorilla sang, while Kovu, listening to his words, became more and more anxious.
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad. I got sunshine in a bag. I'm useless, but not for long. The future is coming on.
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad. I got sunshine in a bag. I'm useless, but not for long. The future is coming on.
It's coming on.
It's coming on.
It's coming on…
I'm useless, but not for long – Kovu repeated the words in his mind. That seemed to correspond so closely with his own thoughts right now. And inspired him to action.
He rose before the song was ended, making Timon and Pumbaa wonder what he was doing. But the lion merely threw them a curt remark that it was time for him to go, and raced off into the jungle, leaving everyone behind. He had already wasted too much time there.
Prompted by some eerie feeling in his heart, Kovu ran back to the Pridelands as fast as his paws could carry him. It was a conviction he was certain of- that he had to hurry. Yet this conviction did not lead him to Pride Rock just yet. First, he needed to stand before his stepfather.
Within the blazing recesses of the volcano, the black shady image of Scar appeared to have awaited his return. Yet the spirit's eyes were turned away, and Kovu stood before him in a communicative silence.
-You come back with nothing – Scar stated the obvious truth, making Kovu nod his head in shame. – I've warned you it would be like this.
Now did the specter finally turn his eyes at the lion. Yet Scar's gaze was different than before. The wound on his face blazed with molten fire, and his voice resounded within the crater with burning anger, causing Kovu to flinch.
-You fool! Don't you understand? This is a battle for the well-being of your own family that you are fighting! You must now listen, and listen good! Go to Pride Rock immediately, you haven't a moment to lose. Unless you don't care at all for the fate of Simba's daughter…
Kovu's eyes went wide, and his heart nearly sprung out of his chest.
-Kiara! – he gasped, realizing that through his stubbornness he may have been too late.
-Yes – Scar affirmed his fears. Then, the dead old lion observed his heir as he ran back home, his heart filled with despair.
AN: In the Italian version of The Lion Guard, Bunga's name is actually Banga. The reason for that is that the word 'Bunga' in Italy has some very interesting connotations… Perhaps not suitable for the target audience ;)
This was meant to be a comic relief chapter. Dang it, it appears that something went wrong again!
'Africa' by Toto and 'Clint Eastwood' by Gorillaz (songs I borrowed from in this chapter) belong to their respective creators.