So…you mentioned an AU bubbling in your brain in TLG Moots
Tell me about that 👀👀👀/nf
OKAY SO. Basically, it's your basic lazy European aristocracy/royalty au. It's super big and complicated with a lot of complex politics, and it lives pretty much entirely in my brain.
So basically, Kion and Kiara are the prince amd princess of the biggest kingdom in the land; the Pridelands. It's basically like how you think of old France, or old Italy- it's got lots of lower rulers, which would be the dukes and duchesses and lords and ladies and all of that- those are the Pridelands’ leaders, all ruled over by Mufasa then Scar then Simba and someday Kiara. The same basic story happens as in the Lion King. Scar kills Mufasa, exiles Simba, Simba comes back. The only big divergence from the main lore (other than the fact that this is a human AU) is that the Lion Guard doesn’t exist yet. It will eventually, but not until after Scar is summoned.
There are four main important Kingdoms/places that come into play. The Pridelands, where Kion, Kiara, Bunga, the rest of the royal family, and Fuli hail from; Ornithia, where Ono, Anga, and Hadithi come from, Big Springs, a crazy rich and strategically placed city, HEAVILY fortified, a center of culture and commerce, ruled by Beshte’s “pod” (a council of the hippo characters), and the Outlands, where the crocs, hyenas, jackals, and others live. Here's a half-baked map I made a few months ago:
The crocodiles are basically what you think of when I say that word Spartan. Extremely militaristic, crocs are raised for battle. The crocodiles easily have the military prowess to be able to overtake many of the countries in the area, but Pua knows better than to make enemies, and would rather uphold peace treaties and pre-established alliances. The crocs don't like constantly training for nothing, though. Makuu defeats Pua in a Mashindano, and the crocs take over Big Springs.
Most inhabitants on Big Springs become refugees in the Pridelands or Ornithia. Beshte, who was once essentially a prince, works as a gardener and groundskeeper for Ono, the son of an important royal scribe. Ornithia is a more protected country; even though its natural defenses aren't as good, they have an actual army. (Hadithi is a legendary general, and Anga is quickly rising through the ranks.) Greyskies is a big ship in this AU, and it's just. Super wholesome.
(I don't love this drawing… but it's the only one I have of them in this AU)
(The scene is based on when Beshte messed up the Hippo Lanes in the show.)
Anyways lots of things happen. The Guard is formed when the Outlanders invade Ornithia. By the end of everything, Ono is permanently blind, Kion has severe mental health issues, and Bunga lost an arm. BUT!! Big Springs is restored and Beshte ends up on the Pod (the council that rules the city) and he and Ono help rebuild. Ono stays in Big Springs rather than Ornithia (also restored to mostly the same order as before) and Kion and Bunga are back to living relatively royal lives like they had when they were young. Fuli goes on to become a warrior in Ornithia’s army with Anga.
Anywayssss thats my crack AU that I really only have for the greyskies… TADA!! (It was worth the six months of waiting, right Nikki??)
