A/N: I only own Lula, the rest belong to the creators of TLK! Thank you everyone for the reviews, everything goes appreciated. Please give me suggestions for revisions and tell me what you think! By the way, I do not know if anybody had noticed, but the reason why I am making everything in past tense is for a purpose! Enjoy the chapter! :)
Chapter Three:
"She's strong, yet scary…"
We turned around and walked outside the cave in unison. In these few moments together, I was in pure bliss. For the first time in forever, I enjoyed being my own person. I felt as though I did not have to conform for the majority. No longer did I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was genuinely smiling back at the misfortunes of the fallen and wish these victims of darkness my farewells, because I refused to be one of them anymore. I wanted to be myself again, was that so wrong?
"A smile is the best way to get rid of one's struggles, even if it might be a fake one."
"Lula, hurry and catch up with us!" yelled Mufasa as he contemplated to see that what I had been immersed in.
Down by the basin was the sun's reflection against its brackish surface. Below the waters, I fancied that fish of all colors were cavorting in coral reefs and pieces of seaweed swam in one direction. Amber, scaly fish were eating the algae growing on top of rocks, maroon, fiery fish were mating in the shape of a heart, and cerulean, aghast fish camouflaged away from predators. All of the marine life here felt the sun's radiation shining upon them. Up above too, the whitened clouds, even fattened with rain, refused to cry as it would destroy their tranquility.
"I wish I could live in pacification, but the world does not wish for such a deficiency."
"Whoever gets there first will be a rotten egg!" I joked as I ran towards…
I abruptly stopped dead in my tracks and forgot to catechize the important question that mattered forthwith.
"Where are we going?" I inquired to Mufasa and Sarabi, who were only a couple of feet behind me.
"Why, we are going to meet everyone!" exclaimed Mufasa enthusiastically while Sarabi nodded in compliance with her mate.
"Oh okay, I am going to see everyone that makes sense..."
"W-wait, what do you mean everyone!?"
"I am not even presentable! My hair is a mess and my clothes are torn and..."
I looked into Mufasa's amber eyes just to see him giving me an exaggerated, deadpanned stare. His face formed into a frown and and nose compressed in vexation. Even without him talking, I heard him speaking inside of my soul, if that made any sort of sense. His face read, "Are you kidding me right now?" "Are you pulling my tail here?"
His expressions recalled me back to the times of when my father was still mortal. My dad would always think I was inane; he would always think I was pulling some shenanigans on him, but I swear I wasn't. Well, maybe I was a few times, except the unexpected happened on one usual day.
"When a person is crazy, one would learn to keep quiet."
Flashback:
"Lula! Come here right now!" yelled my father as I squealed over one of my favorite novels, "Girl Meets Boy"
A part of me fathomed that I should had immediately sprinted towards my dad and ask what was wrong, but seriously I just got to the beautiful moment of Claire and Mark getting together. I have been waiting for this relationship to commence for what seems like a life time; there is no way I will be tearing my eyes off of this paper any time soon! So I continued reading on and on, where I always tried to skip over their passionate intimacy, because the last thing I wanted was to flip through was another "Fifty Shades of Grey". However, another rambunctious voice echoed through the halls that interrupted their moment of fornication.
"Lula, you come here right now or I will…" I barely made out.
'Damn, I think he is serious this time' I thought to myself as I made my way towards my parent's room.
"I really hope this is important father because I had to stop reading about Claire and..."
My voice trailed off when I caught a glance at my dad's appearance. My father was standing inside the bathroom with the door wide open for anybody to see. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, thank g-d, and started into the mirror in shock. He imitated the old cartoons with the character's eyes that always bulged out of their sockets. His hands ran through his blonde hair, and fell down onto the white tiled floor. That was when I noticed more blonde hair strands covering the granite counter-tops. I had to bite down on my bottom lip to not burst out laughing; my eyes could not help but stare at his new bald spot.
"She had wanted none of those days to come to a come, and it was always with such disappointment that she observed the darkness striding forward into inception. "
"Lula, what did you do!?" exclaimed my father as he kept scratching at his skull.
"It is so itchy and it burns!" he whimpered like a puppy.
My poor father, bald at forty!
"I did not do this, I promise, but I wish I did! You look absolutely terrible!" I joked and finally released the laugh I had been holding in. Not being able to stand the ridiculous situation any longer, my body crumbled to the floor and I continued to have a laughing fit over this nonsensical locality.
"It is not funny! How can I go to court like this!?" my father complained angrily.
"You could wear one of those fancy, European wigs!" I snickered as I began to saunter back to my room and tried to imagine my dad dressing up as Thomas Jefferson or George Washington.
While I slowly approached my room to continue to take in my dad's new guise, I found my mother hidden in the door way. She brought her index finger to her lips and shushed me. She then mouthed the following words:
"Do not tell your father I was the one who dumped the Nair in his conditioner!"
At that moment, I had never been more proud of her.
In the background, I heard my father's screeches. "When I found out who did this to me I will…".
"It was these absurd moments in which she missed the most."
"Lula? You okay?" Mufasa gawked at me with concern as he tried to nuzzle my head against his chest, although I was only a bit taller in statue.
"Wha- oh, yes, I am fine, sorry. I was just remembering my parent's before they…before they…" my voice disappeared and I quickly covered my face with my hands. The last thing I wanted the King and his mate was to see my weaknesses. I was a pusillanimous weakling that nobody could cipher. Some moments I was as happy as I could be, and at other times I was as cadaverous as the dead sea.
"I wish there were visiting hours in heaven. You guys are up there, right?"
All of a sudden, I felt warmth radiating from under me. I heard loud purring and the whispers of comfort. This time, however, I was sick of hearing valueless words. I am done with this; I do not want to continue anymore.
"When she could not dream any longer, she died."
"Why do you try to act like you know everything and understand when you do not know anything!" I burst out loud.
Before swallowing, Mufasa continued to say, "There are things we do not ever want to happen, but we have to accept, these are the things we do not want to occur or try to avoid, but we have to learn from it, and we have people we hold dear to us, but have to eventually let them go…"
Mufasa's statement echoed repeatedly in my mind. I felt foolish for being powerless. A part of me wants to whack myself in the head or even throw my body against a stone wall. How can he be so strong? I wanted to believe in my own capabilities just like him. I wanted to believe in myself when I claimed that I was the better person, but then the truth arrived and I could not tell myself anymore idiotic lies. My excuses of "I am okay" isn't even an answer-it was a rhetorical question that people told themselves when life got in the way.
Sometimes, it was not death that I was afraid of, because death seemed more like an open invitation compared to the mysteries of reality. Where was life going to take me? What was my destiny? I consistently asked myself this, but no answer ever arrives.
"T-thank you…" I manage to croak out.
"Is there a way that a person can steal happiness? Or is that another one of life's infernal and internal tricks?"
Instead of speaking to me directly, Mufasa and Sarabi waited for me to act first. They wanted me to depend on them instead of forcing me close. If I didn't meet them, I do not know where I would be right now; one thing would be certain if that was the case, however. I would have been dead a long time ago.
I released my tears and collapsed to the ground. I slowly crawled pathetically towards my saviors as I chest began to heave.
'This is going to be the last time I will ever let myself cry.' I promised.
"To bad life had to get in the way, again…"
After a couple of minutes, I stopped sobbing and smiled at Mufasa and Sarabi. As always my saviors whisked my away into their haven.
"Can I clean myself up before I am presented to your pride? I asked.
"Of course, Lu!" nodded Mufasa. "There is a lake a mile away from here. I think you saw it before when you first arrived."
"Just do not take too long!" teased Sarabi. "We do not have all day."
"I will be quick! Thank you!"
I did not want to admit anything to either Sarabi or Mufasa, but I just wanted to cool off a little bit. The last thing I needed was an argument with a pack of hungry lions and lionesses, even if they were a part of Mufasa's pride!
Taking a deep breath, I took in the morning dew and began heading to the lake Mufasa and Sarabi told me about. From what I heard, apparently none of the animals in the Pride Lands wanted to be near there.
"Maybe a ghost haunts the reservoir?" I mocked to nobody in particular.
I hastily doubled checked to see if any hippopotamuses or other animals were around before I took off my attire and laid it out in the fields to dry.
While I dived into the lagoon, I could not help, but release a sign and mutter to myself before dunking my head into the water, "It has been so long since I took a bath!"
While I cleaned myself, I remembered a poem my mother used to recite to me when she was little; my mother was not one of those people who were normal, I used to think. This is because all of her poems she wrote were references to the darkness living amongst the living. She taught me that the most joyful person can hide secrets inside.
I'm always,
Sad and lonely,
But have nobody to comfort me.
So I have to resort,
To a mask,
To hid my feelings.
None of you knew better,
Because I acted like you,
Another person who,
Was always smiling.
My cries were silent,
Hidden behind my mask.
You couldn't see,
The pain being held dearly,
Because,
There was a mask,
In front of me.
But day by day,
As I was slowly dying,
Each time,
I struggled to put on my mask,
My misery was leaking.
But still,
Even though,
My mask was almost broken,
Nobody could still see,
The pain being held dearly.
"Her words, why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn't be any of this. There would not be anything of me."
Underneath the water, I held my breath as I rustled with my knotted, blonde hair. When I resurfaced, I saw bright green orbs staring down at me.
"Ah! Oh my gosh, you scared me!" I proclaimed loudly.
"I just wanted to see the human Mufasa was talking so much about." the blank mane lion blandly replied.
"O-okay…I guess…" I grunted with some difficulty.
The appearance of the rusty brown-colored lion petrified me. Despite the fact that he had a scrawny muscular shape,it was his vertical scar covering his left eye that left me frozen and inarticulate. It took me a few moments to compose myself, and in this time his carefully observed me. It was as if he saw something inside of me nobody else had.
"Sorry, I will leave now." I apologized and reached out for my clothes that I left to dry by the sun's rays. Before I could step out of the water, I felt a hardened grip on my wrist. He then brought me close to him and muffled ever so softly:
"You were not like how I imagined you to be…" he stated as he licked his lips.
My thoughts were racing and scrambling with fear at that point. When I could not do anything but focus on the lion as he rolled his tongue over his mouth, I wanted to close my eyes and whisk him away, but he prevented me from doing so. It felt like a staring contest when we both scrutinized every hair follicle, every breath of air, and every swallow. He pushed me toward the ground and as I fell, he caught me midair and soon enough he was on top of me. He played with my golden bangs and curled it in his paw. We were so close that I felt his exhalations.
"You are so cute when you are scared." he boldly stated.
I remembered what my parents told me to do when I was in this predicament, to scream and run away, but when I opened my mouth to do so, he put his paw there so all anybody could hear was the sound of a lizard walking over grass.
"Now, now, do not get feisty..." he guffawed.
"Please...go..." was all that I managed to get out.
He brought his other paw to my thighs and I stiffened with dread as he kept on moving forward and forward toward my...
"Lula! The presentation is about to commence!"
Apparently the nefarious male did not care that Sarabi was near, because he continued on what he was doing. I tried to beg him to stop, to protect my innocence, but he did not listen, and I eventually stopped struggling and let him do what he wanted. Sarabi would not see us anyway, we were hidden amid the grass and rocky shores. His location of privacy seemed as though he planned for this to happen.
"She gave up trying to give up..."
From about a couple of feet away, Sarabi's voice came back into the distance, "Lula, where are you?"
All of a sudden, the heinous lion stood up and trekked toward Sarabi. He then said to her, "Lula is still getting ready. She told me to tell you to wait for her by Pride Rock."
Sarabi looked at him with her eyebrows lifted as she replied, "Alright..."
The monster took one last glance at me before he smirked and left. I tried to stand up and call for Sarabi, but I had no energy to do so. I felt dirty, unclean. It took me a hour to get back on my feet and dress, and it took me another hour to get to Pride Rock.
"There you are! What took you so long?" interrogated Mufasa as he dashed towards me in an instant. He observed me from head to toe, checking me for injuries.
"Scar said that he saw you but did not say anything. What happened? Mufasa asked me suspiciously.
I swallowed and tried to come up with a brilliant lie that would get him off my case. I mean, if I told him what really happened, who would he believe? Would he really believe a human girl rather than his own blood brother? I didn't think so. "I hit my head over some rocks as I jumped into the lake. Scar was the one who saved me from drowning."
Mufasa nodded his head in agreement to my story and caressed me as a parent would. "Make sure you are more careful next time."
" Let us get going then!" enunciated Mufasa as he waited for me to stand next to him. On his right was Sarabi, and Simba, with a small tuft of fur on his head.
'That must be Simba.' I thought.
When we all reached a clearing that seemed to be the throne room, Mufasa took a deep breath and roared for the other lions and lionesses to arrive and form a giant circle. As they started to come, they all silently bowed to their king. While they were showing their profound respect towards him, I caught some of their eyes looked at me either curiously or fearfully.
In the distance, a blue hornbill flew through the skies and landed directly on Mufasa's shoulder like a parrot would with its pirate. "Good afternoon, your majesty." he said as he bowed, then gave me the evil eye.
Mufasa cleared his throat and began talking to his subjects. I was smiling back at everyone unit a darkened figure appeared from behind another incoming lioness. His eyes shined brightly from the sun's gaze. Even when he is being radiated in sunlight, his aura is always filled with darkness. I have never seen a more frightening creature and I do not think I ever will. He scarred me for life.
"I have called everybody here today to make an announcement. This human here is Lula, and she is going to be a new member of our pride." declared Mufasa as he beamed to everyone and me. Then, he ushered me forth.
"Hello! As you have heard from Mufasa, I am Lula and..."
A lionesses voice broke my speech as she scream and interrupted, "WHAT!? How can you let that stupid, human girl join our pride!?" The lioness began to stand up and head to me. She growled as she made her way and showed me her teeth in intimidation. She was about to pounce when he brought his paw and slapped her across the cheek.
"Zira! Be quiet! You do not know Lula!" growled my harasser. The other lionesses, Mufasa, Sarabi, Simba, and I stared at him with disbelief. I would have never thought that he of all people-wait lions- who would stand up for me. He was the one who...
"Zira, enough!" Mufasa roared and she became quiet, but her facial structure expressed her hatred to me.
"Everybody listen to what Lula has to say!" declared Mufasa.
I stared back at the pride again as I struggled to control myself. I felt Zira glaring straight at me, trying to make me feel nervous. She began sharpening her nails on the ground as I spoke.
"The weak will fall, but the strong stay grounded and will not dare to let go."
"As of a couple of days ago, I became an orphan. Mufasa and Sarabi saved me from the hyenas who murdered my parents, then nursed me back to health. If it was not for their sympathy, I would not be standing or talking with you all presently. I understand that it is my kind in which you are afraid of, but I am not one of those people. I am here today to protect you all, because this is the only home I have left."
The faces that once glared at me fell quickly. Even from this distance, I saw Zira leaving the area in absolute disgust. The other lionesses who remained apologized for their actions and travesties. This renewed the life stored in me. I feel as though I have a new purpose in my life, to live alongside my new family. This was going to be my second chance of a fairy tale ending, I honestly believed. For now, I forgot about Scar's interactions with me and I forgot about my travesties.
"To bad it wasn't meant to be..."
Mufasa, Sarabi, Simba, and I looked at each other cheerfully. Before we drew into an embrace, Mufasa had one last announcement before anybody else left.
"Everyone, Lula is not to be harmed in any way! You are now officially dismissed!"
Feeling something tugging at my legs, I looked down to see a light tan, blue-eyed cub grinning.
"Hello! My name is Nala! Welcome to the pride!" she said eagerly before sprinting off in search of his mother.
"One of the easiest ways to be happy is to let go of the things that made you sad."
I now understand that life can never be perfect, but what else could explain the reason why I have everything I ever needed: a wonderfully family.
"A family that only brought misfortune."