The Lion Queen 1½

Helping a friend

The scene transitions. It is early morning, and mist has gathered between the jungle trees. The camera pans to show Timon and Pumbaa walking sadly in front of a waterfall. "Ah, that's it, buddy." Pumbaa sits. "We gave it our best shot, but" Pumbaa looks up in surprise. "She's a goner." Timon said. "Maybe not." Pumbaa said. Timon turns toward Pumbaa. "You never give up, do you?" He asked. "Look." Pumbaa said. Pumbaa motions toward (Y/n) and Simba, and Timon takes a look for himself. He squints, then opens his eyes in surprise. "Listen, mister! You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!" (Y/n) snapped. She strides angrily away from Simba. "I would if you'd just tell me." He said desperately. "Forget it!" (Y/n) said. "Fine!" Simba shouted. Simba looks away angrily. Timon watches (Y/n) as she runs away. 

"Pumbaa, do you know what this means?" Timon asked excitedly. "Uh, she can't express her feelings, and he has commitment issues?" Pumbaa asked. Timon turns around, grabs Pumbaa's hooves, and dances around in a circle with him. "We won. Ya, ha, ha! We split them up." Timon runs off. Pumbaa looks confused. "And, uh, that's a good thing?" Pumbaa follows Timon onto a grassy hill. "Uh, she seems to be taking it kind of hard." Pumbaa said. (M/n)'s head begins to form in some nearby clouds. Timon waves a hand dismissively. "Yeah, I know. Look, I... Heh." Timon and Pumbaa stop walking. Pumbaa sits. "But it's the best thing for us. I mean for her." Timon sees (M/n)'s fully formed head and shivers. "Ooh, let's go, Pumbaa." Timon starts to walk away. "I think this storm's coming to a head." He said. Timon and Pumbaa head to bed. Timon starts to settle into bed. "Hakuna Matata is safe at last."

Timon lies down on his back, his paws behind his head. "Pal, because nothing's gonna take our girl away now." He said. "She's gone? What do you mean she's gone?" Timon asked. Simba faces Timon. "It's just like the baboon said. The queen has returned." He said. Timon and Pumbaa exchange baffled looks. Simba rolls his eyes and sighs. "You want me to go over it again?" He asked. "Yes, please, but be a kind sir and just skip to the part about (Y/n). Not that your childhood wasn't fascinating." Timon said. "Okay, look. (Y/n)'s the rightful queen, but after she disappeared, Scar proclaimed herself the queen and formed an alliance with the hyenas." He began to explain. Pumbaa stares at Simba, enraptured. 'Poor (Y/n). The treachery, the villainy, the sheer indescribable horror.' Pumbaa thought. Timon stares at Simba in a thinking pose. 'Blah, blah, blah. Why is he toying with us? Oh, this crazy guy is gonna eat us.' Timon thought. "(Y/n) has to go home to challenge her aunt and reclaim her rightful place as queen." Simba said. Timon and Pumbaa stare at Simba. Crickets chirps, and Timon blinks. 'I can't believe these idiots.' Simba thought to himself with an eye roll. 

"Ooh, don't you get it? (Y/n) needs us...now!" Simba runs off. "She needs us?" Timon gestures angrily. "Then she shouldn't have left us! If she wants to run off and be "Her Highness," well, I say" Timon turns his back. "Don't let the branches hit you on your way out. Leave Hakuna Matata" Looking desperate, Timon turns back around "To someone who appreciates it!" He said. Timon makes a show of walking away. "But, Timon, it's not really Hakuna Matata without (Y/n)." Pumbaa said. Timon stops walking and turns around. "What's gotten into you? Not Hakuna Matata?" Timon walks up a tree root to their bed. "That's crazy talk. Crazy talk, I tell you. Nothing's changed here. We had Hakuna Matata before (Y/n)," Timon turns around angrily. "And we've still got it now." He said. Pumbaa turns toward Timon. "We got to go help our friend, Timon." He said. Timon turns toward Pumbaa. 

"Et tu, Pumbaa? You're just gonna walk away," Timon turns away from Pumbaa, gesturing. "Give up on all this? What happened to "Friends stick together to the end?" Timon turns toward Pumbaa and gets in his face. "Huh, huh, huh?" He asked. Timon turns away and folds his arms. "I was about to ask you the same thing." Pumbaa said angrily. Timon looks regretful for a moment before steeling himself once more. Pumbaa walks away. He pauses and looks back. "I got everything I ever wanted right here." He said. Timon lies down in his bed. Pumbaa watches Timon sadly, but Timon continues relaxing, indifferent. Pumbaa's eyes tear up, and he looks down sadly. Finally, he shakes his head and runs away. Timon looks back at Pumbaa, miffed, and sits up in bed.