THE LION KING: RANI'S MAGICAL STORY

CHAPTER XII: REVELATION

In the haze of everything that was going on, Rani held on for dear life with Simba at the edge of Pride Rock as the flames hundreds of feet below them spread. She heard Mei yell at her friends for stopping her, and heard her shriek at Scar to help them.

"Easy, Mei-Mei!" She grunted.

"Not helping...!" Simba panted.

"How else am I gonna get THROUGH TO HIM?!" Mei yowled in frustration.

"Now, this looks familiar. Hmmm, where have I seen this before? Let me think..." Scar was at the top, pretending to think.

"WILL YOU HURRY IT UP?! Simba and I can't hold on much longer!" Rani snapped at Scar.

"Oooh!! Yes, I remember! This is just the way your father looked before he died." Scar said ominously.

"Wait! You—how do you know this?!" Rani gasped.

Scar kicked Mei away with his hind leg, and quickly put his paws on Simba's, and leaned in to whisper in both hers and his ears.

"And here's my little secret—I killed Mufasa." He said.

The words echoed in both of them.

Rani put the pieces together, and it all made sense—the Graveyard, the stampede, Mufasa's death, the exile—they were all planned by Scar to get rid of her, Simba and Mufasa so that he would be the one to rule. Scar had let Mufasa fall to his death, just like he was about to do now—to both her and Simba.

This new revelation sparked a new fire in both of them. Now enraged, Rani screamed and blasted Scar with her magic and the powerful wave of rainbow flames sent a startled Mei flying to the den's entrance and she landed in front of Eli, Joshua and James.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO! MURDERER!!!" Simba used that chance to pin Scar in equal rage.

"No, Simba—please!" Scar now was on the ground and in fear.

"YOUR OWN BROTHER?! SIMBA'S OWN DADDY?! HOW COULD YOU? HOW DARE YOU?!!!" Rani screeched, her power threatening the guiltiest lion pinned down by Simba.

"Tell them the truth!" Simba roared, knowing now that his father's death was never his fault, but Scar's. Rani had been right to stand up and question Scar, and now—

"I SAW HIM KILL MUFASA!" Mei chimed in. "That night of the same day you went to the graveyard, I stayed, and I heard him plotting with his hyenas!"

"Well, That would explain the getup you have on?" Rani turned to Lizzie and noticed her hyena costume while keeping her magic at bay and at Scar's throat.

"She was trying to warn us!" Simba realized as he pieced together why Mei had been so worried for him and Rani that day long ago.

"I'm so sorry, Simba; I tried to save him, but I failed!" Mei sobbed.

"What?!" Rani gaped in concern.

"But you didn't! You were only looking out for us! We should have realized that." Simba protested while still holding Scar down.

"Anyhow, where were we? Wasn't someone going to tell the whole Pride the truth and tell us who murdered Mufasa?" Kimiya asked. Jamie also agreed with the other kids as they all clamored.

"Ask Scar! He knows what's going on! He's the one who should tell the truth!" Mei said.

"Truth? Truth is in the eye of the behol—!" Scar tried weaseling himself out but instead was choked. "All right...all right! I did it." Scar fessed up.

"So they can hear you." Simba growled.

"I killed Mufasa!" Scar shouted for all to hear.

"MURDERER!!!" In response to Scar's confession, Anakin drew his lightsaber and charged with Sarabi and Nala in rage.