Disclaimer(s)

This first "Chapter" will be dedicated to all the important Disclaimers that need to be addressed before the story can even begin. Why am I doing this ? Well :

The Description Box is simply too small to fit everything in there.

I have read my fair share of stories on this site, and I have seen a lot of authors either desperately try to cram all the important Disclaimers in the Description Box, or spread them out throughout the entirety of their stories. For some people, this might work just fine, but it doesn't work for me. I want to be as clear and concise as possible. Which leads me to …

I want whoever is interested in this story to feel like they are "getting their time's worth", so to speak. I want them to read it because they like what is written, and it is what they were looking for.

This is why I am having these Disclaimers here, so that anyone interested will know, before they even begin reading, what they are getting into. If it's not what they were looking for, they will not have to read an indefinite amount of chapters before they figure it out. They will know from the start. (At least, that's the idea. Whether it works out or not, remains to be seen.) I want there to be as few misunderstandings between Writer and Reader as possible.

This also means that there will be no further Disclaimers beyond this first "Chapter". Another reason for this "Disclaimer Chapter" is because I prefer the flow and continuity of the story to be "broken" as little as possible by non-story related stuff. (This doesn't mean that I won't do it if I deem it necessary, but it is something I want to avoid.)

So, on that Note …

Story Synopsis

Abdul, a young teenager from Tanzania, was not like other kids of his own age. And that wasn't just because he had never met his real parents and spent most of his childhood as a foster-child. He preferred to spend his time alone, lost in his own thoughts and imaginations, or enjoying the works of others that "spoke" to him. And of all those works, the one he felt the most attached to the most, since he was a child, was the world of "The Lion King".

However, his carefree lifestyle soon starts to clash with his new real life obligations as a growing teenager. Frustrated, Abdul begins to feel trapped, forced to make a decision he doesn't want to make. Unfortunately for him, a choice is made for him, by powers he can't even hope to understand.

Unceremoniously whisked away from all that he ever knew, Abdul finds himself in a world that he only thought existed in the realm of fiction. Changed in mind, body and spirit, he has to traverse this new, real land, if he ever hopes to get back to his old life. Such a journey will be easier said than done, however.

The world he finds himself in, is not a harmless children's cartoon anymore. It is a living, breathing, ever-evolving one, with its own rules, wonders, mysteries, and dangers. And as if that wasn't enough, there are hidden forces at play, who see the world as their chess-piece and its inhabitants as their pawns. They have their own plans and agendas, and they will stop at nothing to see them through.

Abdul will have to make new friends, new enemies, and new allies, if he wants to survive. He will have to make bonds that perhaps go deeper than any of those he's ever had in his life. But most important of all, he will have to tread carefully, lest this new world gets an unshakeable grip on him, and challenges who he really is or what he really wants. His choices will have an impact, not just on himself, but to others around him. In this journey, he will either find himself, or lose himself forever.

One thing is for certain, however. The story that was, is no more. It is now a blank canvas, awaiting to be painted anew. The actions of Abdul, and of the inhabitants of this new world will paint this canvas and shape this story. But what the final outcome will be, is yet to be decided.

Written and published by KyleKouncil (that's me).

This story is meant for Teen audiences and will contain elements like : Adventure, Drama, Family, Friendship and Romance.

It will also contain Dark themes like : Abuse, Death, Profanity and Violence.

This story is a Hard Alternate Universe (A.U.) of the famous movie "The Lion King" (the good one). While most of the events will take place during the timeline of the first movie, it will contain events, characters, and lore from the rest of the "Lion King Universe" as well. While some events may happen exactly as you remember them (more or less), others might occur in a completely different way, may not happen at all, or entirely new events might take their place. Do not read this story, expecting a faithful adaptation of the movie (and its universe in general). You will be disappointed.

In short, this story will operate under the principle of : "The Canon is more what you'd call Guidelines than actual Rules."

This story will contain multiple Original Characters (O.C.s).

This story will contain instances where Canonical characters may behave and act in ways that may be interpreted as Out Of Character (O.O.C.). I'll try not to go to extreme lengths with this, but I can't make any promises. I'm sorry, but like I said earlier, this is a Hard A.U. Just as Canon events may be entirely different, so too may Canon Characters be entirely different people from the ones we know and love/hate. This is a sacrifice that has to be made for this story to even work.

This is my first time writing on this site. Do not hesitate to tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong.

This story is Still In Progress. What I mean by that, is that while I have a general idea of what I want to do with it, I am still fleshing out the details in my head. In other words, I have the "What will happen ?" parts down, now I'm still figuring out the "How will it happen ?" parts and the "Why will it happen ?" parts.

This story might go to places that not even I may see coming (exaggerating here, but you never know). Whether this ends up being good or bad, remains to be seen.

It may become quickly apparent, but English is not my first language. If anyone spots Spelling or Grammar errors (or any errors in general), please let me know, and I'll try to fix them as quickly as possible.

This story will contain religious and spiritual elements. Do not take them seriously. This is a FanFic after all.

For real though, do not take what is written in this story seriously. Once again, this is a FanFic. Entertainment is the primary (and the intended) objective here.

Do not expect a consistent update schedule. As much as I like to practise my writing, this is a hobby first and foremost.

Do not expect this story to be completed. I hate to say it, and I will try my damn hardest to not let this story fall into the Pit of Incomplete Stories, but I can't make any promises that this will not be the case. Like I said above, this is a hobby first and foremost. I want to set the record straight when it comes to expectations.

I have seen a lot of authors use Author's Notes in their stories to address issues and respond to readers' feedback. I will not be doing that. Like I said further above, I like there to be a smooth flow and continuity within the story, and I want it to be "broken" by as little non-story related stuff as possible. If you really want to send me feedback/criticism about the story, I would prefer it if you P.M. me instead. I'll try to respond whenever I can (Time Zones and Real Life are a thing, you know).

Lastly, but not Leastly …

I do not own the rights to "The Lion King" franchise, or any other Intellectual Property that might appear in this story. Those all belong to their respective owners.

The only things that are rightfully mine here are my Original Characters and this story.

Finally, with all those Disclaimers out of the way …

I HOPE YOU ENJOY !