Lion Guard: From The Inside

Chapter 3

Unbeknownst to Kion, Rafiki had already been alerted to what has happened by the Lions of the Past and was on his way to the Lion Guard's lair to wait for them to return. 

Just as he was about to head in, he heard Kion's voice calling out to him. 

''Rafiki!'' 

He turned around to look at him, worry evident on his face but due to being in inner turmoil Kion didn't realize that as he continued talking. ''I need your help...'' 

''I already know, young Kion...'' He replied, pausing before continuing. ''Come in.'' He gave him a gentle smile before turning and entering the lair. Kion and the Guard followed, Kion's ears flat against his head. 

Several thoughts started flying through his head. 'Why did he look sad? Does that mean there really isn't a way to get him out? But there has to be! There's nowhere else I can go. Surely Rafiki can help?' 

Fuli gave him a concerned look but he was lost in his own thoughts. 

'Can he?' 

He snapped out of it, looking at Rafiki. ''You... already know?'' He slowly asked. 

''The Lions of the Past told me.'' He responded. ''This is indeed a turn nobody knew would happen...'' 

At the mention of the Lions of the Past he remembered what he was about to do before... 'that' happened. ''I-I was about to let the Lions of the Past judge him, but then-'' 

''Scar, though not alive anymore, is as cunning as ever.'' Rafiki noted, turning to look towards the wall where the painting of Scar roaring at his Guard was. He turned back to Kion. ''I don't want to scare you, young Kion, but getting him out is going to be difficult.'' 

Kion felt his heart drop. 
''Bu-But it 'is' possible... right?'' 

''It is.'' The mandrill confirmed what returned some of Kion's hope to him. But the words 'getting him out is going to be difficult.' rang through his head on repeat. ''But in order for him to be expelled from your mind, he has to be weakened enough. Right now he's at full power, since he just entered your mind. But he 'can' be weakened, through a series of mental exercises and learning to maintain control. And when he is weakened, the Lions of the Past can destroy his spirit.'' 

Kion blinked, taking all of that in. 

Several what-ifs already started crossing his mind. ''But what if I can't fight him?'' He decided to voice his thoughts. 

''It is going to be difficult but in due time, you can weaken him.'' Then his face shifted shiftly what didn't go unnoticed by Kion and the Guard. 

''Rafiki?'' Kion asked. ''Is there something you aren't telling me?'' 

Rafiki took a silent deep inhale and exhale before looking Kion in the eyes. ''An evil lion's spirit cannot stay in one's mind for a long period of time or else it's going to be even harder than it would usually be to get it out.'' 

Kion's heart dropped again. 'What?' 

''The longer it stays in, the stronger it will get.'' 

''H-How long is... too long?'' 

Rafiki went quiet for a moment before answering. ''One to two months. By two months, it is not going to be possible anymore...'' 

The Guard stared at the shaman in shock before turning their gaze to Kion who looked like he was close to having a mental breakdown, staring at the ground, not moving at all and eyes wide. Fuli walked up to him and gave him a gentle nudge on his shoulder, what made him glance up at her.