Chapter 27 is here, and like I said last time it ain't gonna end well for poor Kovu. Anywho, enjoy!
The scene transitions to Pride Rock at sunset. Kiara and Nala tend to Simba, who is lying on Pride Rock.
KIARA:
Daddy, it can't be true.
"It's only partially true." Spirit spoke.
PRIDE LANDERS:
[from offscreen] It's Kovu. It's Kovu.
Several cheetahs, who are standing at the base of Pride Rock, turn around. Kiara, Simba, and Nala look up.
CHEETAH:
Hey.
"This ain't gonna end well." Ora flicked his tongue.
CHEETAH:
*gasps*
Several giraffes turn their necks.
GIRAFFE:
It's Kovu.
"How did they know about that already?" Smun asked. "The Pride Lands gossip chain moves fast." Zuri replied.
Many Pride Landers are seen gathered below Pride Rock. Kovu walks hesitantly through them, and they part to let him pass.
PRIDE LANDERS:
*murmurs* Oh, no. *murmurs*
KIARA:
Kovu!
Kiara runs to intercept Kovu. Simba lunges in front of Kiara, halting her in her tracks.
SIMBA:
*roars*
"There is no need to be so harsh to him." Askari chided.
Simba strides to the edge of Pride Rock's promontory. Kovu looks hesitantly from left to right as he walks through the Pride Landers.
PRIDE LANDERS:
*murmurs*
Timon stands on Pumbaa's head.
TIMON:
Ugh! [Timon marches to the end of Pumbaa's nose.] Why, I oughta... [Timon jumps to the ground and swings his fists.] Let me at 'im! Let me at 'im! [Timon holds up his tail for Pumbaa.] Here, hold me back.
"I thought you guys liked Kovu after the rhino chase." Baliyo wondered. "We did and still do, but we didn't know the whole story at the time." Pumbaa explained. "Part of us believed that Kovu was innocent, but we saw Simba go off with him and come back wounded." Timon added.
Pumbaa grabs Timon's tail.
PUMBAA:
Okay!
Timon runs in place, held back by Pumbaa.
TIMON:
Let me at 'im! Let me at 'im!
Pumbaa lets go of Timon's tail.
PUMBAA:
Okay!
"He didn't mean literally, dummy." Reirei snarked.
Timon holds up his tail pointedly.
TIMON:
I think you're missing the basic point here.
PUMBAA:
Oh.
"You think?" Makucha sneered.
Kovu draws nearer to Pride Rock. The Pride Landers watch him distrustfully.
PRIDE LANDERS:
What's he doing? Look at that scar on his face. [Kovu stops in front of Pride Rock. Simba glares down at him from the promontory.] *murmurs*
Kovu self-consciously rubbed his scar. Kiara moved his paw away and nuzzled him.
SIMBA:
Why have you come back?
KOVU:
Simba... I had nothing to do with–
SIMBA:
You don't belong here.
"You didn't even let him explain himself?! Also, that was harsh." Fuli said incredulously. "He should've had the right to a fair trial and an unbiased judge in my opinion." Mzingo drawled.
KOVU:
Please. I ask your forgiveness.
"Like that lion's gonna forgive you." Goigoi sniggered.
Kiara stands with the lionesses behind Simba.
KIARA:
Daddy, please. Listen to him.
Simba looks over one shoulder at Kiara.
SIMBA:
Silence! [Simba turns back to face Kovu.] When you first came here, you asked for judgment. And I pass it now!
"Oh no. This isn't going to be good." Binga grabbed Bunga's hand for comfort.
Kiara and Nala look on worriedly.
KIARA:
*gasps*
PRIDE LANDERS:
We don't want you! Judgment! Put him on trial! Judgment day is here! Yes! Judgment! Judgment!
SIMBA:
Exile!
Everyone except the unreformed bad guys gasped. "Exile? But he's innocent!" Ma cried. "They don't know that yet." Uncle Max reminded her. "Dad, seriously?" Kion chastised. "I regret my actions that day, son." Simba sighed.
KIARA:
No!
Kovu gapes up at Simba, then looks around him at the incited Pride Landers.
ELEPHANT:
*trumpets*
ZEBRAS:
*bray*
Nuka and Vitani looked on in worry for their little brother. "Dang, termite. First you ran away from Mother then this? What a crappy few days that must've been." The former said. "Thank you for summing that up." Kovu joked. "Oh, sorry." Nuka backtracked. "It's ok, Nuka." Vitani patted his back.
An elephant stamps its feet to the beat of the music. Monkeys pound their fists to the beat of the music.
MONKEYS:
*screech*
Many Pride Landers, who are gathered in rows, stamp to the beat of the music.
"I've gotta admit that this is a good song even though the lyrics are insulting Kovu." Spirit whispered to her brother.
ELEPHANT:
*trumpets*
KIARA:
No!
"It's a painful thing to be separated from one's lover, not knowing if you'll be able to see them again." Sarafina spoke wistfully.
Kiara runs toward Kovu. Two lionesses block her path.
LIONESSES:
*growl*
KIARA:
Kovu!
ELEPHANT:
[from offscreen] *trumpets*
Simba glares down at Kovu. He stares back in horror before looking behind him at the throngs of angry Pride Landers. Two oryx advance on Kovu, heads bowed and horns pointed forward.
Many animals gave Simba stink-eyes. "Son.. we were very disappointed in you when this happened, but understood why you did it. You did not know Zira had lied, but you should've let Kovu speak." Sarabi lectured. "I know, Mom." Simba sighed.
PRIDE LANDER:
DECEPTION. [Kovu backs away slowly.] DISGRACE.
The oryx back Kovu to the edge of a cliff until he is forced to turn tail and flee.
PRIDE LANDERS:
EVIL AS PLAIN AS THE SCAR ON HIS FACE.
"Just because someone has a scar on their face doesn't mean they're evil! Look at Kion! Look at Kopa! They have scars on their faces and they're definitely not evil!" Bunga scolded.
ZEBRA:
DECEPTION.
ZEBRAS:
AN OUTRAGE!
"What outrage? He didn't do anything." Madoa huffed.
PRIDE LANDERS:
DISGRACE.
Several giraffes lift their chins haughtily.
GIRAFFES:
FOR SHAME!
Kovu bounds down from Pride Rock. A hippopotamus watches from a ledge as he dodges past several attacking snakes.
"Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes?" Dusty joked.
HIPPOPOTAMUS:
HE ASKED FOR TROUBLE THE MOMENT HE CAME!
"I thought he asked to stay with them?" Cheezi wondered. "Yeah, me too." Chungu added. Janja groaned and face-pawed, making Jasiri giggle.
Kovu lands in front of several zebras, who rear onto their hind legs.
PRIDE LANDERS:
DECEPTION! AN OUTRAGE! HE CAN'T CHANGE HIS STRIPES! [Kovu flees.] DISGRACE! FOR SHAME! [Kovu runs through two rows of oryx, who butt their heads as he passes.] YOU KNOW THESE OUTSIDER TYPES! [Kovu runs past several ostriches, who peck him.]
EVIL AS PLAIN AS THE SCAR ON HIS FACE. SEE YOU LATER, AGITATOR! [Monkeys throw rocks at Kovu.]
"Please tell me those were just rocks and not something else that's much worse." Ananda hesitantly asked. "They were just rocks. Not, well… you know." Kovu confirmed.
JUST LEAVE US ALONE! DECEPTION! AN OUTRAGE! [Kovu dodges the rocks.] DISGRACE! [Kovu flees down several ledges.]
FOR SHAME! TRAITOR, GO BACK WITH YOUR OWN! HE ASKED FOR TROUBLE THE MOMENT HE CAME. SEE YOU LATER, AGITATOR!
Simba watches as Kovu runs away. He turns his head as a flock of birds descends on Kovu from the air.
BORN IN GRIEF, RAISED IN HATE, [Kovu looks up frantically at the birds. They periodically descend on and peck him.] HELPLESS TO DEFY HIS FATE.
"That's what he gets for failing to do what he was trained for." Zira grumbled, getting hit by Makini multiple times. "Lay off him, lady!" She scolded.
[Kovu flees into a grove of trees.] LET HIM RUN. LET HIM LIVE. BUT DO NOT FORGET WHAT WE CANNOT FORGIVE!
Kovu splashes into a shallow pool and looks back at Pride Rock sorrowfully. Simba glares back, his mane blowing in the wind.
AND HE IS NOT ONE OF US. [Below Pride Rock, the Pride Landers watch Kovu depart.] HE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE OF US.
Kiara dodges around the two lionesses, only to be blocked by two more. She looks over their heads desperately.
"Hey dad, maybe use a little something called sound judgment next time? You saw that he never did anything to hurt Kiara, and so did Mom, Timon, and Pumbaa. I mean, I understand why you reacted like this because of what Zira said and what happened to me, but still." Kopa piped up, glaring at Simba.
HE IS NOT ONE OF US. [The Pride Landers shake their heads.] NOT OUR KIND.
Kovu blinks sadly.
SOMEONE ONCE LIED TO US. [Kovu looks down in the water, and his reflection ripples into Scar.] NOW, WE'RE NOT SO BLIND,
Kion sympathized with Kovu, having felt that his own scar made him look like Scar.
Kovu splashes through his reflection. He races to the other end of the pool.
FOR WE KNEW HE WOULD DO WHAT HE'S DONE, [Kovu clambers onto shore, his head drooped.] AND WE KNOW THAT HE'LL NEVER BE ONE OF [Kovu looks over one shoulder at Pride Rock.] US.
Simba glares at Kovu. The Pride Landers shake their heads.
Once again, Simba was given a lot of stink-eyes.
PRIDE LANDER:
HE IS NOT ONE OF US.
Kovu turns and strides away sadly. An antelope's head is interposed with footage of Kovu walking away.
Everyone(except the unreformed bad guys) felt sad for the young lion left with no place to go. "Well, at leassst he didn't get the death sssentence, which I'm sssurprised at." Ushari hissed.
ANTELOPE:
DECEPTION.
A zebra's head is interposed with footage of Kovu walking away.
ZEBRA:
DISGRACE.
Kiara watches Kovu go. She bows her head.
"Oh boohoo, missie. Get over it." Mama Binturong snapped. All of Kiara's family growled at her, and she was promptly whacked.
PRIDE LANDER:
DECEPTION. DISGRACE. [Simba's head is interposed with footage of Kovu walking away. Simba turns away from Kovu.] DECEPTION.
Kovu runs offscreen. From afar, Rafiki watches him go. Rafiki puts a hand to his forehead and shakes his head sadly.
Makini comforted her old teacher. "I think your matchmaking plan failed, brother." Scar remarked. "Not exactly." Mufasa answered.
RAFIKI:
Oh…
The scene transitions to Pride Rock. Simba stands on the promontory.
KIARA:
Father, please, [Kiara approaches Simba.] reconsider.
"Didn't you guys at least try to knock some sense into him?" Anga asked. "We tried to reason with him, but he's extremely stubborn, even more so when he's angry." Nala explained.
SIMBA:
You will not go anywhere without an escort from now on.
KIARA:
No, that's not–
"That's not fair! He never did anything to her!" Beshte shouted.
Simba looks back at Kiara.
SIMBA:
He used you to get to me!
KIARA:
No! He loves me...for me!
SIMBA:
Because you are my daughter. [Simba juts his head at Kiara, who backs away.] You will not leave Pride Rock. You will stay where I can keep an eye on you. Away from him!
"Seriously?! You're essentially punishing her for the ambush when she wasn't even involved!" Rani growled.
KIARA:
You don't know him!
Simba paces to the edge of the promontory.
SIMBA:
I know he's following in Scar's paw prints! [Simba bows his head.] And I must follow in my father's.
"Well, you're definitely not doing that now. Actually I'd say you were the one following in Scar's pawprints at that point." Spirit spoke. "What?! How?" Simba asked. "Blaming an innocent young lion for something they didn't do and banishing them for it. Sound familiar? Run away and never return?" Dusty snarked. Simba's eyes widened in realization and he let out a shaky breath.
"What did I do? Kovu, I… I'm so sorry. I-I-I should've listened to you, and Kiara, instead of being so quick to judge." He hung his head in shame. "It's all right, Simba. I forgive you. You didn't know Zira was lying about me being involved." Kovu replied. "I forgive you too, dad. You've made up for your mistakes." Kiara nuzzled her father.
KIARA:
You will never be Mufasa!
"Ooh, burn!" Banzai chortled only to get whacked by Makini. Mufasa got up and walked over to his son. "Simba…" "I know what you're going to say, Mom already said it." Simba sadly cut him off, looking down at his paws. Mufasa gently tilted his chin up with a paw. "While I agree with your mother, that's not what I was going to say. I know that you want to be a good king like I was, but that doesn't mean you have to try extremely hard to live up to me. You may look like me, but you're your own lion and your own king. Remember that." Simba smiled gratefully at his father, and the two nuzzled.
Simba's eyes widen in horror. Kiara turns tail and flees toward the den. The lionesses watch her go sadly. She collapses in the cave.
KIARA:
*sobs*
Kiara looks up at a shaft of light. Her expression turns bold. Rocks shift outside Pride Rock, falling away to reveal a hidden exit. Kiara emerges and races off into the savanna. She searches the pool where Kovu had been earlier.
"Not again!" Timon groaned. "So that's how she escaped." Pumbaa mused.
KIARA:
Kovu?
"O Kovu, Kovu, wherefore art thou Kovu?" Spirit said.
Kiara climbs a nearby rock.
KIARA:
Kovu...
Kiara jumps into the pool. She looks into the water to see that half of her reflection is missing.
"Where's the other half of her reflection?" Kijana asked, confused. "She's looking for it." Dusty stated cryptically.
She runs on. She searches the crevice where she, Kovu, Timon, and Pumbaa had hidden from the rhinoceros stampede.
KIARA:
Kovu... [Kiara huddles outside the crevice.] *cries softly*
Everyone(minus the unreformed bad guys) felt for the young princess. Kovu nuzzled her to reassure her that he was here now.
Poor Kovu. Now before anyone yells at/cusses out Simba in the reviews, remember that he was traumatized by everything that happened with Scar and the presumed loss of Kopa. He had valid reasons to be distrusting of Outsiders and not wanting any near his cubs. He may have jumped to conclusions during the ambush scene but in his defense he didn't know Zira was lying. He has made up for his actions since in scenes we'll see later. Speaking of that, see you next time for Love Will Find A Way!