Welcome to my Kimba the White Lion fan-fiction! I guess a person of my age and responsibility shouldn't expend time and energy writing frivolous things like this. But I've been a Kimba fan for close to three decades, and over time this story just assembled itself in my brain until it finally crawled out onto paper. It isn't Shakespeare; it isn't even John Grisham, Barbara Kingsolver, or Michael Crichton; but it's mine, and I humbly share it with you.


Like all fan-faction, this work borrows heavily from many sources. The story uses the characters and builds on the events of the Kimba episodes "Mystery of the Deserted Village" and "The Day the Sun Went Out". There are also references to "The Wind in the Desert", "Go, White Lion", "Jungle Fun", "Journey into Time", "Battle at Dead River", and "Such Sweet Sorrow". The story line for Kimba originally considered having the villains Tom and Tab relay instructions to a pack of accomplice hyenas (Robin Leyden and Fred Patten; How Kimba Came to Be; http://hometown.aol.com/kimbawlion/history.htm), and I used this concept in the plot. A central idea for my story was inspired by the Star Trek episode "Arena".


All characters used here are copyrighted by Tezuka Productions, and all rights to feature them in stories are reserved by the company. Since this story will not be published, I didn't contact Tezuka Productions for permission, and they are unaware of this fan-fiction (as of the time I'm posting it). My work isn't copyrighted; you may print and send the manuscript as you wish, but if you wish to change things I ask you to please make clear which changes are yours.


A few stylistic notes are in order. I have tried to keep the dialogue and vocabulary simple to emulate the accessibility of the original series. I've intended to invest the characters with the same speech patterns and personalities that they had in the cartoon, allowing them to develop as the action progresses. I've attempted to have the script match the rhythm and flow one would expect from a typical TV episode, although this story unfortunately goes a little longer than thirty minutes. I have the narrator speak in past tense to avoid jarring conflicts in parallelism.


I wish to thank the NBC Films production team who dubbed Kimba into English back in the 60's (Fred Ladd, Billie Lou Watt, etc.). Many thanks also to The Right Stuf International (http://www.rightstuf.com) for their selfless work in preparing and releasing all 52 original episodes on home video. They are probably losing money on the project; it's the pleading of die-hard Kimba fans that keeps them going. A HUGE thank you goes to my friend Hector Montalvo (mantalvo@mindspring.com) for proof reading the manuscript, offering many valuable suggestions, and providing the beautiful illustrations. Most of all, I thank the grandfather of Japanese Manga - one of the most prolific and remarkable story tellers of the 20th century- the Late Osamu Tezuka, for creating "Kimba the White Lion" with all of its memorable characters and adventures. This story is dedicated to his memory.






WHITE LION MAGIC



I



OFF STAGE NARRARATOR: It was a happy, exciting day in the kingdom of Kimba the white lion. Kimba's friend Kitty had come to the jungle for vacation. Many of the younger animals, including Kimba, were spending the day in the clearing playing with their welcome visitor.

Bucky the Gazelle, Dodie Deer, Dot, Dash, Dinky, and Speedy Cheetah were lying on the ground, sweating and looking tired. Dan'l Baboon observed the group from a high branch.

"Come on, Kimba!" said Bucky. "You too, Kitty! Sit down for a while and talk with us! We're beat!"

"Yeah!" said Speedy. "We've been running and playing all morning! Aren't you worn out yet?"

"Not me! I'm still having fun!" called Kimba. "Do you want to play, Dan'l?"

"Are you kidding?" shouted Dan'l. "What makes you think that an old baboon like me can keep up with you youngsters!"

"I'll stop for a while if Kitty wants to." Kimba turned to his playmate. "What do you say?"

"I'm not tired yet if you're not," answered Kitty. "Tag ... you're it!"

"Hey!" shouted Kimba. They bounded through the tall grass, laughing. "I'm gaining, Kitty! I'm gonna catch you!"

"No, you're not!" laughed Kitty. "I'm too fast!" Kitty jumped left, then right, then turned a high somersault in the air and landed behind Kimba.

"Hey!" shouted Kimba, looking back. Not watching where he was going, he tripped over a rock and fell hard on the ground.

"Kimba!" Kitty stopped the game and ran to her friend. "Are you all right?"

Kimba slowly struggled to his feet, looking dazed. "Yeah, I guess I'm all right. I just hurt my shoulder a little."

"Here, I'll make it feel better." Kitty commenced to lick his shoulder. Kimba was taken aback by the display of affection.

"It isn't that bad, Kitty, I'll be OK," insisted Kimba.

"Good," said Kitty. "I'm sorry for playing that trick on you, Kimba. I wouldn't have done it if I'd thought you'd get hurt."

Kimba smiled. "Don't feel bad, Kitty. It was an awfully good move. I can't blame you for being so good at tag!"

"I'm glad we're friends, Kimba," said Kitty. "I hope we'll always have fun playing together." Kitty sat close to Kimba with her head on his shoulder. Kimba blushed so brightly it could be seen plainly under his white fur.

"Thanks, Kitty," he stammered, "Uhh ... I'm glad we're pals, too." Dot and Dinky observed the scene. They looked at each other and snickered.

Dan'l sat in his tree watching. "Humph!" he said to himself. "Kimba may be a fine prince, but he sure can be dense sometimes. He doesn't understand how much Kitty likes him. Even if he did, he wouldn't know what to do about it. I hope he changes sometime."

At that moment, Pauley Cracker flew towards the group at full speed. "Kimba! Dan'l!" squawked the parrot. "Come quick! There's a human in the jungle, and Cassius the panther and the hyenas Tom and Tab are attacking him!"

"We'd better save him!" shouted Kimba. "Show me where!"

"This way!" answered Pauley.

"I'm coming, too!" said Kitty.

All the animals raced through the jungle with Pauley, Kimba, and Kitty far in the lead. They soon came to the site of the commotion. The helpless human had climbed a tree to get away from his attackers. Cassius grinned and growled at the man in the branches with an evil glint in his eyes. Tom and Tab circled the tree one behind the other, stepping and snapping their fingers in rhythm.

"Stop this right now, Cassius!" ordered Kimba. "You too, Tom and Tab!"

"Kimba!" growled Cassius, "I should have know you'd come. You always defend humans who come to disturb the peace of the jungle!"

"You don't know why he's here, and you don't care about peace anyway!" said Kimba. "You leave him alone!"

"Or what," mocked Cassius. "You'll try and stop us? You don't believe in fighting, you coward!"

"I don't like to fight," said Kimba, "but I'll defend someone who's being attacked by bullies."

Cassius laughed. "We'll see how well you and Kitty can fight."

"Kimba's right, you thug!" Kitty said indignantly.

"Tom, Tab, get her!" Cassius ordered.

Tom and Tab looked at each other, snickered, then jumped on Kitty. After a brief struggle with the clumsy, overly confident hyenas, Kitty bit one and then the other. The hyenas screamed, jumped strait up, and ran away yelping with their arms in the air. Kimba, meanwhile, was having trouble against the strong, skillful Cassius. Kimba was pressing down on the panther's head, while Cassius was pressing on Kimba's neck. Kitty raced over and bit Cassius on the tail, causing him to leap in pain. Kimba ran hard against Cassius' chest, pinning him against a tree. The other animals began to arrive. Cassius snarled, pushed Kimba away, and ran off after his hyena friends.

Dan'l spoke first. "Kimba! Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, thanks to Kitty's help," said Kimba. "I'm just worried about that poor human in the tree. Hey, you up there! You can come down now, we won't hurt you!"

"You ... you can talk!" exclaimed the human. "Kimba, is that you?"

"Yes, I'm Kimba, Prince of this jungle. Who are you?"

"It's me! Ignotso Snobbish! I met you at the deserted village when my family and I were on a motorized safari." Ignotso climbed down from the tree. He was a clean-cut, bespectacled, intelligent looking young man with a large backpack.

"I remember you!" said Speedy Cheetah. "You fixed the cut on my paw and gave me some penicillin for the infection!"

"How can I forget," added Dan'l. "I still have a crick in my back from the day I carried your mother out of the jungle when your car broke down." He reached around and rubbed his lumbar spine as if just thinking about it made it ache.

Kimba laughed. "It's good to see you again, Ignotso," he said. "Welcome to our jungle!"

"I'm glad I found you, Kimba," said Ignotso. "I came here hoping you could help me with something important."

"I'd be happy to help," replied Kimba. "Come with me to my lair and we'll talk. If we stay here, those three trouble makers might be back, and they might bring their boss Claw with them this time."

That night, Ignotso, Kimba, Kitty, Bucky, Pauley, Dan'l, and Speedy sat around a small fire in the center of Kimba's home. "I've been sent here by the government's Interior Department," Ignotso explained. "You see, I'm a forest ranger now."

Kimba asked, "But Ignotso, you were studying to be a doctor. Why did you change?"

"I didn't set out to be a doctor at first," answered Ignotso. "What I really wanted to do was help animals. Ever since I was very young I wanted to be a naturalist. But people told me that wasn't a very good idea, and if I really wanted to help animals I should be a veterinarian. So I studied to be a doctor for animals."

"That's why you knew how to treat my infected paw!" said Speedy.

"That's right," said Ignotso. "Anyway, soon people were telling me that being an animal doctor wasn't a very intelligent choice, and that I should be a doctor for humans instead. My parents sent me to Harvard Medical School, but I still wanted to help animals. So after I graduated, I accepted this job to help take care of the jungle. Being a doctor might be handy in places far away from civilization."

Kimba said, "We're glad you're here to help us animals, Ignotso. I hope your run-in with Cassius, Tom and Tab didn't make you change your mind." Kimba hung his head. "Unfortunately, not all the animals in the jungle want to live peacefully."

Ignotso scratched Kimba's neck behind his black-tipped ears. "It isn't your fault. I knew there might be danger when I took this job."

"You said you wanted our help with something, Ignotso," Kimba asked. "What is it?"

Ignotso explained: "The government sent me to research the history of this part of the jungle. Specifically, they want me to document the relationship the natives had with the white lions. There are stories that whenever one of the white lions died, the natives would carefully preserve its hide. I'd like you to show me the shrine where they kept your ancestor's furs, Kimba, so I can take pictures."

"I'd be happy to do that, Ignotso," said Kimba. "The hides used to be at the deserted village, but the hut was falling apart, so the okapis helped my sister Leona and me move the furs to a stone temple way up the river. I'll take you there; Leona still guards the hides and she might chase you away if you go alone."

"I would appreciate that very much, Kimba. When can we go?"

"Tomorrow morning, but first I'd like to show you around the jungle. If you're here to study the jungle, you should see all the things the animals have done to make it a better place to live. You sleep here tonight; I'll walk Kitty home right now so we can get started early. I'll be back soon."

"Goodnight!" said all the animals. The animals left Kimba's lair and went to their homes. Kimba walked with Kitty through the field to the guest dwelling where she stayed during visits.

"Look, Kitty," said Kimba, "it's a full moon tonight."

"Yes, it's very beautiful, isn't it," said Kitty. "I've had a wonderful day today, Kimba. I'm glad we can be friends with humans when they come to the jungle."

"I'm glad you like humans, Kitty, even though your parents were killed by hunters."

"You were left an orphan because of hunters too, but you always help humans when they come to the jungle and ask." They arrived at the guesthouse and Kimba sat down outside to talk a little longer.

"That's because most humans really are kind and good. I think of how much I learned from..." Kimba stopped abruptly and looked down at the ground.

Kitty said, "Kimba, you still miss Roger Ranger a lot. I can tell."

"I suppose you're right, Kitty. He raised me in the city and showed me that civilization can be good. Because of Roger, I learned to forgive the humans for what they did to my parents. I've always felt a little empty since he left."

Kitty looked sympathetic. "You knew he couldn't stay in the jungle forever. But I'm sorry you miss him so much, Kimba."

They sat silently and looked at each other for a while. "You know," said Kimba, "my ancestors and the local tribes lived in peace for hundreds of years. They respected and helped and protected each other. I've always wished that all humans and animals could live together that way." Kimba smiled. "I'm going to help Ignotso learn everything he can about the history of the white lions. If he teaches other humans, it just might bring that dream closer to coming true."

"That's wonderful. I'm proud of you, Kimba. You're such a noble prince." In the bright moonlight, Kitty smiled at Kimba with wide eyes. He didn't get it.

"Thanks, Kitty," he replied simply. "And thanks for your help against Tom, Tab, and Cassius today. Without you, I couldn't have saved Ignotso. Goodnight!"

Kimba turned and trotted across the clearing back towards home. Kitty stood and watched him for a few seconds, disappointed. "Oh, Kimba," she thought, "why didn't you at least touch foreheads with me before you left? If you only knew how fond I am of you." She went inside and slept.


Chapter II