The Lion King AU

Chapter 18: Refections of Scar

Aziz was still uncertain about leaving her jungle childhood home, all the memories she had with Timon and Pumbaa was something special to her. 

It made her feel like herself, but she couldn't keep what Kaku said to her out of her mind. "The circle of life is out of balance. You must take responsibility that Scar left behind!" 

The lioness was still not totally convinced of going back to her homeland, as then a rock was thrown into the water. 

The lioness turns around to see who was behind her, as that it was Rafiki who was standing nearby. 

"R-Rafiki?" She asked, remembering that Mufusa mentioned the wise old baboon when she was a cub on the day her father died. 

"Hm. Maybe I am or not? It appears to me that you lost sight of who you are. Who are you?" The wise baboon asked her. 

The lioness was speechless of his question, as she sighs, "I thought i knew. But i'm not so sure of it myself. " 

"Hm. I know who you are. You're Scar's daughter, aren't you?"

The lioness said, "Rafiki, how did you-" 

But the monkey disappeared from her sight, as she exclaims, "Wait, don't leave me!" 

The lioness ran as she pants, "So, you know my papa?"

"Correction, my princess. I know your father!" 

She sighs as she said, "But he died a long time ago." 

"Nope, wrong again. You are a young lioness, so much to learn. Just follow the baboon, he knew the way, let's go!" 

The lioness was unsure of it, but she follows the wise baboon anyway. 

"Rafiki, wait up!" She cries as she follows the baboon as fast she could. 

That was when he stops her in her tracks. "Stop! Shhh. Come forth and see, Aziz. There is your father. He awaits." 

She seems nervous, as the wise baboon gestures her to go to the pool of water to see him. She went down, as that she sighs as she only see is her own reflection. "That's not Papa. You're mistaken, that's my own reflection." 

The baboon said, "No. Aziz, look harder." 

She looked again, as the ripple of the river turns from her own refection to her father, Scar. "You see. He lives in you." 

She was amazed as she hears her father, "Aziz." 

"Papa?"

She walks as she looks up to see her father for the first time since his death. He said, "Aziz, you have forgotten me." 

She replied, "No, papa, I couldn't. How could i?

Scar replied to her answer, "You have forgotten who you truly are, so you have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Aziz, you are more than you have become. 

You must confront your past and be part of the Circle of Life." 

"Papa, how could I go back after all this time?!? I'm not who i used to be." 

"Remember who you are, you are my daughter, the true heir to the throne, the true ruler to the Pridelands." 

"I'm afraid." 

"It's all alright to be frighten of what could happen, Aziz. You will be fine as you stay true to yourself." 

As he was about to leave, "Just to let you know, as a ruler, I am proud of ruling the lands, but there is one other thing I am most proud of. 

Being your father. I love you." 

"Please, don't leave me again. " She pleads, but she hears the old king chuckled of her desperation. 

"Aziz, I never leave you. I'm always with you, even if you couldn't see me physically." 

The baboon walks to the young lioness, "So, I ask one more. Who are you?"

This time, the lioness stand her ground, "I am Aziz. Daughter of Scar. I know what I have to do, but going back means that I have to really confront my past. I've been hiding the truth for so long. " 

Rafiki hits her with his stick as she groans, "Ow! Rafiki, what was that for?" 

"It doesn't matter, it's in the past!" He laughs as the lioness rubs the bump on her, "Yeah, but it still hurts." 

"Of course the past can hurt, but the way i see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." He explains as the lioness dodge. 

"You see?!? Now what you planning to do now?" 

"Well, first thing i plan to do is to do this!" She grabs the stick from the wise baboon and tossed it towards the grass. 

"Not the stick!" He yells as that he also sees the lioness leaving him. "H-hey, where you going?"

"I'm going back home!" Aziz yells back as she leaves the jungle to reclaim the position she once lost. 

"Good! Get out of here!" He said as he celebrated the true return of the ruler of the Pridelands.