Act Two: Scene Two

(As the golden glow of the Marquee B swirls around Baxter, he feels himself soaring. The Broadway magic pulls him through time and space once again, music swelling, colors flashing—until suddenly—)

THUMP!

(He lands—on something… soft? He feels the sun on his fur. The air is warm. He blinks—and then realizes—)

(He’s on a rock. A very big rock. A VERY HIGH ROCK.)

(Wind rushes past him. The sky is golden. Below, hundreds of animals are gathered, bowing.)

(Baxter’s tiny rat heart STOPS.)

“NAAAAAAAANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABAAAA!” 

(His ears twitch. His tail flicks. His brain catches up.)

HE IS ON PRIDE ROCK.

HE IS SIMBA.

(Before Baxter can react—he hears a deep, regal voice behind him.)

Mufasa (booming):”It is time, my son.”

(Baxter slowly—very slowly—turns his head. Standing beside him, towering over him, is Mufasa. Golden mane glowing in the sunrise. **Dignified. Majestic.***)

(Baxter’s whiskers twitch.)

(This is way above his pay grade.)

(Then—before he can protest—Rafiki, the wise mandrill, steps forward, smiling. He lifts a tiny pawful of dust and smears it across Baxter’s rat forehead.)

“NANTS INGONYAMA!!” 

(The animals roar in celebration. The elephants trumpet. The zebras stomp. The giraffes nod regally. The antelopes leap. And Baxter—Baxter the rat—is lifted high into the air.)

(His tiny legs dangle. He flails slightly. He is held up for all the savanna to see.)

HE. IS. BABY SIMBA.

(A single wildebeest in the back wipes away a tear. This is the future king.)

(Baxter’s tiny voice squeaks out—)

Baxter (panicked, whispering):”Oh no.”

(The orchestra soars. The entire savanna cheers. The Circle of Life BOOMS around him. His Broadway destiny has never been bigger.)

(Cut to later—Baxter, still processing, is now being dragged into a full musical number.)

“I’m gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware!” 

(Suddenly—he’s leading the show. He’s running across the savanna. Colorful birds swoop around him. Elephants march in sync. Giraffes do high kicks. He slides under zebras. He’s somehow dancing with hippos. He doesn’t know how, but he knows all the words.)

“I just can’t wait to be king!” 

(He leaps onto a vine. The vine swings. The music builds. The scene explodes into a massive, Broadway-style finale pose.)

THE CROWD GOES WILD.

(Baxter pants, standing on a pile of acrobatic monkeys. He’s never been in a bigger production. The applause shakes the earth.)

(And just when he’s thinking maybe he can handle this—)

THE MARQUEE B GLOWS AGAIN!

(The sky shimmers. The air crackles. Mufasa looks on, eyes wise and knowing, as the golden energy surrounds Baxter once more.)

Mufasa (softly):”Remember who you are…”

(Baxter barely has time to process the cosmic weight of that statement before—)

HE VANISHES.

(The Broadway magic whisks him away—onto his next adventure.)