Chapter 21! Enjoy!
The scene transitions to Rafiki's tree at night. A breeze carrying milkweed floss blows toward the tree.
"All right, everything going forward happens while Kion and friends are away. Just giving you guys a heads up." Spirit announced. "It'll be nice to see what we missed." Anga chirped. "Yeah, we only got the short short version when we got back." Beshte agreed.
RAFIKI:
(From offscreen) Oh, Mufasa.
Rafiki mixes paint in half of a hollowed gourd. On the nearby tree trunk, there is a painting of two lion cubs.
Every day, Kiara grows more beautiful, [Rafiki smears blue paint above the painting of Kiara.] into a queen that will someday make us all very proud.
"Aw, Rafiki." Kiara blushes at the praise.
[more solemnly] But this cub, Kovu, [Rafiki draws a brown mane on the painting of Kovu.] grows stronger, and Zira fills his heart with [Rafiki smears brown paint over Kovu's heart.] hate.
Rafiki closes his eyes and bows his head.
I'm very worried, Mufasa. Things are not going well. No.
The wind whistles, blowing Rafiki's mane. Rafiki looks up at some rattling gourds that are hanging from the ceiling.
Hmm? You have a plan? [A gourd falls, breaking open on the ground.] What?
"What are you doing?" Sarabi raised an eyebrow at her husband, who chuckled nervously.
Rafiki lifts the two pieces and looks at them questioningly. He glances up to see that, from his vantage point, the gourd pieces seem to surround his paintings of Kovu and Kiara. He slowly moves the pieces toward one another.
Everyone was a little confused until they realized what the gourd pieces meant.
Kovu...Kiara... [Rafiki clasps the gourd pieces together.] together? This is the plan? [angrily] Are you crazy?! This will never work! Oh, Mufasa, you've been up there too long. Your head is in the clouds!
"Playing matchmaker for your granddaughter, are we?" Scar smirked. "What? It worked. The problem was taken care of." Mufasa defended himself. "Oh, grandfather." Kion shook his head.
Rafiki crosses his arms. The wind blows violently. Rafiki holds up his hands in protest.
Okay, okay, okay, okay! All right! Okay! [Rafiki holds up his arms in surrender.] I don't think this is going to work, but I trust you.
"You were saying, Rafiki?" Dusty quipped. "I will admit I gained more faith in the plan as things happened, and will admit that yes, it did work." The mandrill spoke.
Rafiki wags a finger at the wind as it spirals away.
I just hope you know what you are doing!
Rafiki puts his hands on his hips. The scene transitions to the termite mounds. Zira grins deviously.
"That grin can't be good." Dogo whimpered.
ZIRA:
You are ready! *chuckles* [Zira circles a full-grown Kovu, who is sitting atop a rock.] Nice. Very nice. *chuckles* You have the same blackness in your soul that Scar had.
KOVU:
*growls*
Kovu growled along with his onscreen self, but at Zira in regards to his soul.
ZIRA:
What is your destiny?
KOVU:
I will avenge Scar. Take his place in the Pride Lands.
ZIRA:
Yes! What have I taught you?
"Taught? More like brainwashing if you ask me." Shupavu flicked her tongue.
KOVU:
Simba is the enemy.
ZIRA:
[emphatically] And what must you do?
"Something he didn't want to.. Did you?" Ullu shuddered. "I was conflicted. Zira's training was all I ever knew, but at the same time I didn't want to hurt anyone unless I had to." Kovu admitted.
Zira juts her head at Kovu.
KOVU:
I must kill him!
The Outsiders gather around Kovu and roar. The scene transitions to Pride Rock in the daytime. The lionesses are gathered in two rows on a trail outside the entrance. Nala strides between them to join Simba at the bottom of the trail.
LIONESSES:
*laugh* You must be so proud, Nala. This is Kiara's first hunt. Yeah!
"Aww, I missed it?" Kion realized. "It's okay, I didn't end up getting anything." Kiara replied.
Simba sighs, and smiles as Nala sits next to him.
LIONESS:
[from offscreen] There she is!
Kiara emerges at the top of the trail. Rafiki stands on a nearby rock.
RAFIKI:
[fondly] Kiara.
"If only we could've seen our own daughter and son grow. In the fur, I mean." Ananda lamented as Sahasi comforted her.
Zazu alights on a branch and smiles.
TIMON:
Aha!
Timon hugs Pumbaa. Rafiki gestures to the trail. Kiara strides in-between the rows of lionesses.
LIONESSES:
You can do it. It's your day. Good luck, Kiara! Your first time. My, how you've grown!
Nala walks out to meet Kiara. They embrace.
NALA:
You'll do just fine.
Simba looks down in concern.
"I wish I had done better, but I'm happy the way things turned out." Kiara spoke.
KIARA:
Daddy? [Simba looks up.] You have to promise to let me do this on my own. Promise?
Simba looks at Nala, who lifts her chin knowingly.
SIMBA:
All right. I promise.
"Fat chance he keeps it-ow!" Mama Binturong quipped only to be hit by Makini's staff.
Kiara grins and bounds toward Simba. They embrace, purring. Timon and Pumbaa exchange sorrowful glances. Timon hugs Pumbaa, both sobbing.
Kiara breaks her embrace with Simba, and they exchange one final look. She bounds to the edge of the trail and overlooks the Pride Lands, where a herd of topi grazes peacefully. She squints excitedly at the herd, then looks over her shoulder at Simba. He nods, and she bounds away. He strides to the edge of the trail and watches her go, clearly worried. Timon and Pumbaa approach.
SIMBA:
[in an aside to Timon and Pumbaa] Make sure she doesn't get hurt.
Timon and Pumbaa look at each other.
"And it only lasted a few seconds." Ono spoke. "I still mostly kept the promise. They were just supposed to watch her from afar in case something went wrong." Simba defended himself.
TIMON AND PUMBAA:
Ah! [Timon and Pumbaa casually shamble away.] *hums*
Timon and Pumbaa dart offscreen. The scene transitions to the open savanna. Kiara stalks a herd of grazing topi, but steps on a twig.
KIARA:
*gasps*
"You'd be surprised how often that happens on hunts, even to experienced animals." Sarafina commented.
The topi look up at the noise and start to run away. Kiara chases them in desperation. The scene transitions to the Elephant Graveyard. Several geysers steam. A full-grown Nuka and Vitani walk to the edge of an overhang and overlook the Elephant Graveyard. Vitani is carrying shoots in her mouth. Nuka winces.
"What are they doing there?" Madoa wondered. "I don't think Spirit and Dusty will let us tell you, but you'll see." Vitani replied, ashamed of what she and Nuka had done.
NUKA:
Eurgh. [Nuka scratches his arm.] This place is even creepier since the hyenas ran off.
Vitani rolls her eyes.
"Why did they run away?" Fuli wondered. "We moved to another part of the Outlands, partly because of what happened with Scar and partly because we didn't want to risk messing with Zira." Shenzi explained.
VITANI:
Oh, sheesh.
NUKA:
*scoffs* [Vitani hops off the ledge.] I'm not scared, okay? [From offscreen, a geyser steams. Nuka leaps after Vitani in fear.] *whimpers* [Vitani deposits the shoots on a geyser. Nuka walks toward Vitani, then pauses in front of a geyser.] I just don't know why we have to be here, that's all. If Kovu is so [Nuka arches his back downward.] special, why does he need us? [Nuka starts to walk off, but flips around when a geyser steams.] I never even had a chance! [Behind Nuka, the geyser explodes. He leaps into the air.] *yelps* [Nuka races away and cowers next to Vitani.] *whimpers*
Vitani rolls her eyes. The geyser next to her explodes, igniting the tips of the shoots.
"I love my brothers, but they can act like complete idiots sometimes." Vitani groaned. "Don't I know it." Rani chuckled. "Agreed." Kiara added. "Hey!" Their brothers all yelled.
VITANI:
That's it! [Vitani picks up a fiery shoot in her jaws.] Now, come on. Kiara has started her hunt. We have to move quickly.
Vitani strides past Nuka. He holds a shoot close to the geyser. It explodes in his face.
NUKA:
Ooh! Fire! [Nuka and Vitani bound away.] *cackles*
Everyone couldn't help laughing at Nuka, but also winced a little as getting geyser steam in your face wasn't pleasant.
The scene transitions to the open savanna. Pumbaa's tail sticks above the grass, swiveling from left to right. Timon's head comes into view. He looks behind him at Pumbaa's tail.
TIMON:
*yells*
"You don't want to be anywhere near the wrong end of Pumbaa." Ono joked.
Timon and Pumbaa emerge from the grass. They freeze and look around.
PUMBAA:
Hup! [Timon and Pumbaa exchange glances, then run on.] Hup! [Timon and Pumbaa run through the grass. They hide behind a tree trunk.] Hup!
Timon and Pumbaa look around.
TIMON AND PUMBAA:
Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
Timon and Pumbaa run back into the grass.
"Timon and Pumbaa: Pride Lands Not-So-Secret Service." Spirit deadpanned. "Good one!" Dusty giggled.
PUMBAA:
Hup! [Timon and Pumbaa each peek around one side of a tree.] Hup! [Timon and Pumbaa switch places.] Hup! Hup! [Timon and Pumbaa run on. Pumbaa takes up a position behind a rock, while Timon hides in a hollow log.] Hup! Hup! Hup!
Timon mimics holding a walkie-talkie.
TIMON:
Tango-Charlie-Alpha. What's your position?
PUMBAA:
Uh... Upright, head turned slightly to the left, [Pumbaa lifts his tail.] tail erect.
"Not that kind of position, you idiot!" Ora snarled and failed to dodge Rafiki's staff.
TIMON:
Why do I bother? [Timon uses his hands as if they're spyglasses. He notices Kiara prowling along nearby.] Ah-ha.
"Target acquired." Dusty quipped.
Timon ducks inside the hollow log. Kiara stalks toward a herd of topi. She notices a rock and steps carefully over it.
KIARA:
*gasps* [Kiara continues prowling forward, but her back paw hits the rock.] *gasps* [The topi lift their heads and run away. Kiara chases them desperately.] *grunts* [Kiara struggles to keep up with the herd.] *grunts*
Timon and Pumbaa look up to see the herd of topi charging toward them.
TIMON AND PUMBAA:
*screams*
Timon and Pumbaa duck down, and the topi leap over them.
"That was close." Tiifu noted. "Yeah, it's a good thing they ducked in time." Zuri added.
TIMON:
This must be where the deer and the antelope play!
Timon and Pumbaa watch the herd go. They turn to find Kiara standing in front of them.
TIMON AND PUMBAA:
*screams*
"And they blew their own cover again." Chuluun snarked.
KIARA:
*pants*
Timon wrings his hands and nervously laughs, while Pumbaa grins innocently.
KIARA:
Timon, what are you doing here?
TIMON:
Uh... [Timon spreads his arms wide.] shopping! We thought a nice pelt for the den, [Pumbaa nods frantically, then resumes grinning.] some throw pillows, a little potpourri…
"What? I don't do well under pressure, plus it was the first thing I could come up with." Timon defended himself. "It's all right, Uncle Timon." Bunga spoke.
KIARA:
My father sent you. After he promised to let me do this on my own. He lied!
Timon clasps his hands.
TIMON:
No... He just doesn't want you to get hurt.
"He still broke the promise." Smun pointed out.
KIARA:
I should've known he'd never give me a real chance. [Kiara leaps over Timon and Pumbaa, who watch her go.] *sighs* [Kiara charges off into the savanna.] I'll do this on my own, away from the Pride Lands!
TIMON:
'Ey! Wait! [Timon jumps onto Pumbaa's head.] Come back! [Timon and Pumbaa run into the grass.] Oh, who can keep track of her?
"Obviousssly not you two." Ushari hissed.
PUMBAA:
Come on, Kiara! Kiara!
TIMON:
Kiara, come back! Oh... [Timon and Pumbaa pause in the grass.] She's gone again! [Timon spreads his arms in exasperation.] Somebody's gotta get a beeper for this kid!
"I don't think even a beeper would work on Kiara." Spirit snickered.
Timon and Pumbaa run on. Meanwhile, Kiara races across the savanna, her expression stormy. She pauses and looks wistfully over her shoulder before moving on. On a nearby ridge, Nuka and Vitani survey her progress with the fiery shoots still in their mouths. They bound off the ridge toward the open savanna.
NUKA:
Let's light fires!
"You guys started that fire?! We could see and smell it all the way from our place." Janja commented.
Vitani uses her shoot to set fire to the grass.
VITANI:
*cackles*
Nuka uses his shoot to set fire to the grass.
NUKA:
*laughs* [Nuka lights a fire that encircles him completely.] Roasty toasty princess... [Nuka flings his shoot away and hops up and down elatedly.] Roasty toasty princess... [Nuka pauses.] Hey, is it hot in here, or is that just me? [Nuka looks around in concern. He shoots into the air.] Fire! *screams* [Nuka lands outside the circle of fire. He turns back and crouches low to the ground.] *laughs*
"Someone's a certified pyromaniac." Baliyo quipped as he and others snickered at Nuka's antics.
VITANI:
*growls* [Vitani grabs Nuka and pulls him offscreen.] Come on!
"I was having fun!" Nuka pouted as Vitani shook her head.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!