Chapter 8
Disclaimer: See Prologue.
Power
*Nala*
The fight with Zira this time seems twice as hard as last time. Is it just me or does she seem to get stronger the crazier she is? It sure feels like it. Me and Kopa are doing the best we can to repel the crazed lioness' flames, but our attempts seemed useless. It seemed like we were about to be burned when I heard a roar.
"RAAAAAHHHHHH!" We and even Zira turned and saw Simba. His eyes were glowing that reddish color, as well was arrow on his forehead.
Vitani, who was nearby, seemed panicked. "Zira what is happening?"
"I don't know! This is actually a surprise to me." Said Zira with annoyance. Obviously she hates surprises.
"Simba?" I said with worry at seeing him like this. Simba began moving his forelegs in odd motions and all of a sudden the earth split beneath us. We and the rest of our friends were immediately separated from Simba and our tormentors. "SIMBA!" I called out to him and hoped he would hear me. He didn't. Simba roared and out came a blast of wind that I saw forced Zira and her friends to the ground. I suddenly realized that Simba was using an unheard of amount lethal bending. Someone is going to get hurt if this does not end soon.
"Tama, you have to get us to Simba!"
"Leave it to me." She thrust her paw down in a stomp and sent us across the fissure. We landed safely on the grass, but gulped heavily. Now we were in Simba's range.
"Dude, please stop!" begged our newest friend, Malka. He was rewarded with a flame from Simba that was the size of a wildebeest when it impacted with the earth. What the damn hell?!
"Knock it off." Tojo Said as he flung a rock at Simba,which actually hit Simba's head. I then saw Simba turn in our direction, and his eyes appeared lifeless, not unlike Tamas, despite the sapphire glow. OH NO!
*Kopa*
We were in serious trouble. The good news is he hasn't hurt anyone yet. The bad news is that things are deteriorating quickly. Simba quickly crossed his arms and a gale tornado began to surround all of us. This is Bad.
"Simba!" I saw Tama try to restrain him by using her earth bending to pin him to the ground. It seemed to work, at last my hopes were dashed when I saw the the boulders that surrounded him rocket to the sky. Simba then proceeded to released several fireballs, quickly followed by ice stakes from a nearby watering hole, all of which were directly aiming at Tama and the others. Everyone besides me was hit. Their injuries varied from minor burns to lacerations from the ice stakes. Nala was on the verge of tears as I approached her.
"Please hear us!" She said with a choke and I looked back at my brother. He was now using his earth bending to slowly bring four earth walls together around Zira and her friends. I suddenly realized he was planning to crush them to death. For kings sakes, it like is brain is turned off.
I hurled myself at my brother and wrapped my paws around him in a tight hug. I felt Simba pause and then turn to look at me with a blank expression. I gulped hard, hoping this stunt paid off. The Tornado was starting to calm down, but was still spinning and the earth walls were slowing coming together.
"It is ok!" I talked to him in a soothing tone I haven't used in a while to hopefully calm him down. My words seemed to have an effect because the glowing shell of my brother seemed to start looking around at what was happening. I saw his eyes return to their normal amber and his arrow marking stopped glowing. The Tornado vanished as quickly as it came, and the earth walls crumbled, which allowed Zira to run away with her tail between her legs, her cronies right after her. I held my brother close to me as he opened his eyes weakly, his body suddenly went as limp as a blade of grass during a storm. He was drifting from awake to unconsciousness.
"I am here. Everything is alright." I said to him a smile and nuzzled him along with my hug. His eyes drooped ever more and right before he passed out, he said one word.
"Kopa." And then he fell asleep.
*Simba*
I could hear Zira's wicked laugh as I watched her hurt my brother and friends. I felt the cold touch of Vitani's claws and somehow repressed my bending. I saw Maeva claw at Kula with a demonic look of stone. I heard my roar as I finally snapped out of self consciousness. "RAAAAAHHH!"
I awake with sweat running down my face. Looking around and see that I am no longer outside, but back in the den at Pride Rock. I feel myself lying on something soft, and looked up to see my mother looking down at me with great concern, yet she still has her warm smile.
"Simba, honey? Thank the Stars you awake." She pulled me so close to her chest that I literally had to claw at her arm to get her attention.
"I am fine… sort of, but I wouldn't have been if that hug lasted any longer." I said with a sigh and saw the her expression soffen.
"I am sorry, Honey." She nuzzled my forehead and I gratefully returned the nuzzle weakly. I took a deep breath before asking her what was on my mind.
"Mom, what happened?" I saw her avert her eyes. Like she was trying to figure out the proper thing to say. When she finally turned back to me, and I saw her lost for words. What happened?
"You blacked out." I could see she was avoiding the real question. I raised an eyebrow.
"I know that, I just want to know what happened after I blacked out." One minute I was watching Zira be the shetani she is, but the next minute I am home.
"I can answer that Bro." I turned my head and saw my brother Kopa looking at me with a strained smile. Next to him was Malka our newest friend and Nala who both looked at me with a sad expression, who both had burns and lacerations on their bodies. Behind them the rest of our friends had similar injuries as they lay with their parents. I saw a hint of ice on Kula's face from one of her cuts that her mother was licking and I immediately knew.
"I am so sorry guys!" I cried into my mother's chest the next moment. I could not bear to look at my friends and brother. I knew that I was the one that had hurt them and I don't even remember doing it. I must have cried for 5 minutes when I felt a bunch of paws around me while my mother backed away, releasing me from her arms. Huh? I turned and saw that all my friends had gathered around me and were all hugging me.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked through my tears.
"We are comforting you silly. You have been through a lot." Kula said. I could hear the pain in her voice while realizing that I look like a newborn cub.
"Things keep exploding in my face, like everything always does." I said this statement out loud and then felt the hugs grow tighter. I then felt the huge release and saw Kopa reach for me and then pulled me into another hug.
"What happened was not your fault. You were just scared of what was happening and it triggered something within you." I could hear the seriousness in his voice but I did not know if I could believe it.
"But Kopa…" I began to say before he pulled me close again.
"No buts Simba! You are not to blame, only Zira." He said with firmness this time and I nodded to him reluctantly. As Kopa held onto me I heard paw steps and then heard a voice. "Besides, Dad told Uncle Scar and Zira off after we brought you back. He had Zira denied her first hunt and was confined to his cave. Uncle Scar was ordered by Dad to make sure she follows the rules, so she can't sneak out."
"He is right Son." Me and Kopa let go of each other and Looked to see my father looking at us with an unreadable expression.
*Mufasa*
Knowing he was brought back unconscious, I can finally breath a sigh of relief. I have been put into this situation far to many times for my liking with my sons. They are not anymore violet than any typical cub, including myself at their age, but always seem to come home bloodied and hurt. No cub or parent should be forced to deal with these types of situations, let alone when the occurrences only seem increasing. Not to forget the tension I am feeling from the other parents. Sure they are all reasonable lions, but even they have their breaking points. I then turned to Simba, whom friends were all returning to their own worried respective families. I swear if Sarafina was not a healer, Ni would have started a war by now.
Simba was now looking upon me with as if he was searching for an answer. "Dad I am so sorry. I did not mean to hurt anyone, I was just trying to help. I …" I saw him fumble with his words and it made my heart ache to see my son so confused. I cleared my throat for him to stop and he gave me his tear filled attention.
"Look Simba, I am sure you are curious as to what happened after you blacked out?"
"You think Dad?"
"The truth son is that being the avatar is more than mastering the four elements."
"What do you mean?" Simba's head was tilted and his eyes were filled with a mixture of confusion and sadness. I looked to my mother to explain what I meant.
"The avatar also comes with a special gift called the avatar state. It is the ultimate gift the avatar possesses."
"What exactly is it Grandma?"
"From what my father told me: The Avatar state is a defensive technique, created to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars. The glow you experienced is the combination of all your past lives, focusing their energy through your body." she paused when I saw Simba's eyes widen at what she had said and I could only guess what he was thinking.
"So the avatar state is like a super form which makes me all-powerful? Cool." He seemed to have cheered up a bit and I felt guilty that my mother would soon have to crush him with new knowledge and responsibility.
"Yes Simba, it does. but not always . In the Avatar state, you are at your most powerful, but you are also at your most vulnerable." Simba widened his eyes again, this time with fear at this knowledge.
"WHAT?! How is it a weakness? You're not making any sense Grandma."
"If you are killed in the Avatar state, the Avatar will cease to exist on earth. But me and the rest of the pride will not allow that to happen, you are too important to the circle of life. Simba, you need to learn how to control your avatar state, but that training will come in time when you are mature enough and strong enough for the trials." He seemed panicked and began tapping his claws against the cave floor.
"What will I do until then Dad?" I looked to Kopa who nodded and cleared his throat.
"Until then bro, you need to stay strong and do your best to stay calm around Zira. Otherwise, someone else might get hurt."
"But how can I stay calm when Zira lives to torment me?"I looked amongst the cubs when Kopa was silenced by Simba's doubt. All of the other cubs seemed at a loss for words, even Nala seemed to be conflicted on what to say, and she always knew how to comfort him.
Thinking about Zira's punishment after I learned of how he tormented Simba and his friends made me smirk. I felt satisfied she would not pull another stunt like that again when I told her that she and her friends would be denied their first hunt and confined to their dens. Despite this though, the realization stayed that this may only make her seek payback in another way. I recalled the time when Zira was first brought to my attention by her mother Shari. She was only a few months old and was deeply traumatized at the lost of her mother a week after joining her father's pride.I am trying to learn from my father's mistakes and give her the benefit of the dought.
But there is more important things to deal with, like how to get Simba to forget such things? My eyes then landed on the smirking face of Malka. My eyes widened at the cub and from the look on his face I realized that he was thinking about what we discussed earlier and I knew that it would certainly cheer Simba up. I nodded at him and he stepped towards Simba.
"You stay calm Simba by learning to enjoy life and don't worry so much about responsibilities." Malka said with a smirk since from he told me, he had left a cruel life behind for this new one he, I and Sarabi had discussed.
"How?" Simba said with a shake of his head.
"Repeat after me: Hakuna Matata." My eyes as well as those of the cubs gathered must have popped out of there heads because I was as confused as anyone about what that cub just said.
"Huh?" said Simba
"Hakuna Matata. It means no worries. Live by this motto when you are not learning your lessons and you will be just fine, Simba."
"And how will I learn this motto Malka? You gonna teach me?" Simba asked with a raised eyebrow. Malka's smirk widened as he eyed me. I knew what he was going to say next and I winked at him to let him know to say it.
"Sure, I'll teach you, bro." The moment he said 'brother' I saw every cubs jaws hit the floor and I could not help but chuckle.
"WHAT?!"
1) Who here has a motto that they live by similar to Hakuna Matata?
2) What mottos do you think fit each of the following avatar characters: Aang, Katara, Toph and Zuko?