"It's Time"
Kovu was looking at the sunset. He had been through a lot of emotions after Maliki's death. Emotions he had never felt before. Zira had always taught him not to be weak, and Kovu had accepted that kind of view. Now he felt weaker than ever before in his life. Kovu sighed. First he had been full of frustration and self-accusation, then he had been angry though he didn't actually know who he was angry with. Then he had felt empty and meaningless, after that, only sad and miserable. That's how he felt now. He had tried to be a good father but he couldn't even protect his son.
He turned and slowly headed back to the cave. "Kiara? Are you here?" he asked. First he didn't hear anything, then silent sobs from the shadows. "Kiara?" he asked again. He walked to the figure in the corner and nuzzled it. "Are you okay?" "No," Kiara sniffed. "I'm not." "What is it? Come on, you can tell me," Kovu said quietly.
He was silent for a while and then asked: "Is it Mali?" "Well, sort of, or...maybe not, I...I don't know!" Kiara burst into tears again. "How come? What is it? Tell me, Kiara, please!"
Kiara couldn't reply in a while, then when she calmed herself down, she whispered: "Kovu, I'm pregnant."
Kovu blinked his eyes in amazement. "W-what? K-Kiara...I...That's wonderful news!" "It is?" Kiara asked. "Well, I-I mean...Aren't you happy?" "I don't know...Maybe, maybe I'm afraid to be happy." "What do you mean?" "Because of Mali. He-he was our son, I-I loved him so much...And I know you did, too. But...I, I want t-to have this baby, Kovu, and...still, still I don't. I don't know if it's making any sense." Kiara bowed her head sad and Kovu was silent for a long time.
"Are you...Are you afraid the baby is...going to replace Mali?" he asked. Kiara nodded. "I know I would never forget Mali, I couldn't, but Kim...He loved Mali so much. I'm afraid he might be jealous." "Maybe I could talk to him." "No, no, please, don't say anything to him yet, not until we're sure everythng will go well. If I lose this baby, it's going to be the second brother Kim lost. Or a sister, of course." Kovu nodded. He understood what Kiara meant. "So...we're not going to tell him just yet?" Kiara shook her head. "Well, if that's what you want, I'm okay with that." Kovu gave a smile and licked Kiara's cheek.
"I wish you could be happy about this, I know I am. I don't ever want to replace Maliki either, but a new baby...It's, just so thrilling!" Kovu couldn't hide his excitement and Kiara had to smile too. "I hope everything will be fine," she said. "I'm sure it will, don't worry." Kovu nuzzled her and Kiara felt much better already.
Outside the cave, Kim had been listening all the time.
"So, a secret, eh? And they were't going to tell me?" he thought. "That means they don't want me to be the king of Pride Rock. It's because of the baby. A new Maliki...He'll probably be just as much trouble as he was. Well, WE won't let that happen, will we? WE just have to get rid of the new brat before everything goes wrong."
Kim smiled to himself for a while, then his smile faded.
We?
Wasn't he alone in this?
Meanwhile, when Kiara and Kovu were rejoicing for the new baby, Simba was thinking alone. The soft wind stroked his mane and cooled him in the African heat.
It was time.
He was feeling a little sad, but still peaceful. He got up, and seeked for Nala. She and the rest of the pride were just returning from their hunt. "Hi, Simba," Nala walked to her mate and nuzzled him. "Had a good hunt?" Simba asked with no specific tone in his voice. "Well, we did get a zebra, I hope it's enough." She turned to Simba and peered at him questioningly. "Simba? Are you alright?"
Simba turned around and didn't say a word.
"Simba? Please, what is it? Are you sick?" "It's time, Nala."
Simba lifted his head up with tears in his eyes. Nala felt horror strangling her throat. She stepped a few steps back and shook her head. "No..." she whispered. "No, Simba, not yet. You're just feeling down because of Maliki, it--" "Nala, we agreed this earlier, didn't we? A long time ago. Only two words are enough." "But it's not time yet! You, you have a lot to live for, you..." "Nala. Don't make this harder than it already is."
Simba looked her with such calmness that Nala couldn't help herself. She burst out crying against Simba's shoulder. "I love you, Simba, I don't want you to leave..." "I love you too, Nala. But it's my time to join my father. Remember, I'll always be with you. I'll never leave you." He felt a lump in his throat.
The wind caressed the two lovers. Simba turned his head up. "I have to go. Please, don't tell Kiara before you're sure I'm far enough. She'd get even more upset than she already is for poor Maliki. Will you promise?"
Nala nuzzled him. "You were always so protective." She couldn't help a little smile forming on her face through the tears. Simba smiled too. "I promise," Nala said and looked at Simba for the last time. "I'll always love you, Simba." "And I'll always love you," Simba replied gently.
Then he turned away and ran away from Pride Rock without looking back. He just couldn't. He couldn't look back to see Nala crying and possibly changing his mind.
Kim saw Simba running away from afar.
"Go after him," a voice inside him said. He did as he was told but he didn't know why. He had no idea where Simba was going or why but something told him to follow him. Hee made sure no-one else saw them leaving and ran after Simba.
Simba ran for a long time, not exactly knowing where he was heading. At least somewhere far, where he'd be alone. Through the jungle, through the fields, until he found a quiet plain where to stop. He took a time to catch his breath, and finally collapsed to the ground.
Kim had followed him all the time, with strength that one could only wonder. He ran and ran, following Simba's tracks, until he found himself in the same plains. He seeked for Simba with his eyes, still not knowing why,and finally he saw his majestic figure lying on the soft grass.
He felt scared somehow, still he knew he'd have to face Simba. He slowly padded to him.
Simba listened to the wind. Some kind of voice seemed to be calling for him, a familiar and safe voice that he had known for all his life. He knew him very well. Simba smiled to the skies and got ready to feel his kingdom, fading into the background, until he was no king anymore...
"Grandpa?"
He heard Kim's voice from behind him. He turned around and saw his grandson sitting and looking at him, eyes big and wondering. "Kim, what are you doing here?! You shouldn't be here," Simba said worried. "I wanted to know where you were going all alone. What are YOU doing here?" Simba turned his head away. "Kim, I really think you should go home now, before..." He paused. "Before what?" "Please, Kim, just go home. Believe me, you don't want to be here." "Oh, but I do, grandpa. I want to be here."
Kim started to slowly circle around Simba. Not only to face him, he walked around him in circles. Simba didn't actually know why, but he didn't like it. Maybe because he was so weak, he had always been a role model to Kim. "Kim, I'm asking you, go home!" Simba said this more stricktly than he was supposed to, but he had to get Kim out of here. He didn't want an innocent young cub to see another death of a family member so soon.
Kim's eyes filled with tears. "Granpa, you're scaring me. What is it?! Why are you here alone?" "None of your business, Kim! Go home!" Simba didn't want to sound angry but he knew he had. Kim sniffed and turned around. "I don't want to leave you alone here," he sobbed. "I'm scared. I don't know if..." He stopped andcried. Simba couldn't help it. He had to help Kim. "What? What if?"
Kim sobbed. "I'm scared I might not see you again anymore." Simba felt like choking up too. Kim was so sweet, Simba saw himself in Kim as a cub. "Kim...It's, it's not easy to tell you this but...You may be right."
Kim looked shocked and Simba felt bad about him. But he had to tell the truth.
Kim sobbed for a while again and then asked: "If...If that's true, grandpa, I...I have to tell you something. It's teally important." "Kim, you REALLY should go home," Simba whispered, he could feel it was his time.
"But I HAVE to tell you! Please, grandpa, I...I've never told you how much I love you." Kim sniffled and Simba felt his heart melting. After all, this was probably the last time he would ever see his grandson again, maybe Kim really needed this moment with him. "I love you too, Kim. Alright, you can tell me what's wrong. After that, you have to go home. Promise?" Kim smiled and nodded. "I promise."
He moved close to Simba, nuzzled his mane and still cried a little. Simba closed his eyes and smiled softly. Kim was quiet for a while, then he whispered: "Grandpa?" "Yes, Kim?"
Kim huddled even closer and whispered to Simba's ear:
"Remember, this is our little secret."
The tone. In his voice. Quick flashing memories rushed through Simba's eyes. Even an accent in it. An accent no-one else had.
Simba turned his head up to Kim, eyes wide open from terror. He saw something that made his heart beat faster and faster.
GREEN EYES.
Green eyes. Staring back at him. For a moment he thought he was hallusinating and blinked his eyes, but the vision didn't fade. Now he saw other things. Kim's fur was darker than before and he had more mane on top of his head. And he was smiling. A crazy, lunatic smile of joy and happiness.
"SCAR?!"
"It's been time, Simba." A mixture of Scar's deep accent and Kim's childish, innocent voice made it a voice from hell.
"No...It can't be, it can't be, y-you're dead!"
Kim...No, Scar, laughed. "Doesn't mean I still can't be looking over my favourite nephew, does it?" he grinned. "What have you done to Kim?!" "Oh, the question shouldn't be what I've done to Kimwondo - oh, sorry, KIM, as he likes better - but whether what have I done...with his brother." Simba gasped. "Maliki?! YOU KILLED HIM?!" "I'd love to take the credit, but I have to admit I wasn't alone in it. Your prescious Kim helped a little." Scar smiled again and turned around to leave.
"Goodbye, Simba. Don't worry. Your kingdom will be in safe hands." "Scar! Come-- come back!" Simba felt his power fading, he was too weak to fight his uncle anymore. And what good would it do when he was in the small body of Kim's? He would only hurt Kim.
Everything blackened and Simba felt dizzy. The last thing he heard was an eerie lullaby sang by the hellish mixture of Kim and Scar:
"Good night, Simba, and sleep tight,
your uncle's here to say good night..."
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