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I do give my own character Jicho quite a bit of attention now don't I? As Kiara's keenest of sight and right paw bird, also one of her BFFs, as well as being relatively small and easy transportable, she's has the second most appearances in my AU right after Kiara. And you know what? Drawing her makes me happy and I've still got a lot more to say about her.

Mention this several times before, but she and Zazu get along very well in this AU. After she joined the Guard, she set up a more permanent residence in the trees by Pride Rock, which just so happened to be close where Zazu's home was located. Being the king's majordomo and essentially the king's eyes, ears, and resident relations organizer, Zazu opted to try and build a relationship with his new neighbor and fellow avian servant for the royal family.

Now the two have some very notable differences about them. Zazu is a distinguished, dignified, and respectable. He serves his king with a duty-bound spirit, noble mannerisms, and perhaps a slight pompous air, though can occasionally get overwhelmed and lose his self-control. Jicho, on the other wing, serves on the Lion Guard, meaning she frequently gets into altercations of the violent, 'hands-on' approach. Spirited, cocky, and bold, she serves as both the scout of the Guard and as their aerial offense/support. Whether it's divebombing onto hyena faces, loudly and energetically showing off her aerial techniques/moves, or getting into messy situations with little regard for her life, she's quite the feisty ball of energy.

However, in spite of their obvious differences, Zazu and Jicho have a remarkably friendly relationship to each other. For one, they both care deeply about their duties and are extremely loyal. Secondly, they do have some similar personality traits, such as being very confident in their socializing abilities, knowledgeable of connections, and, admittedly guilty, their desires for all the latest news and personal gossip among the Pridelands, as well as havign maybe a bit too much pride about themselves too. Lastly, they share very similar home/family lives, both having dealt with overbearing mothers, irritating siblings, and the resulting fallout between them, as well as the hope and desire to one day reconcile with them.

Sure they sometimes do have petty squabbles and do occasionally send mockeries and teasing towards each other, though it's hardly malicious and sometimes it is rather deserved/true. Also Zazu does very much enjoy having someone within his feathery animal class around to interact with one occasion, and has developed a bit of a fondness for the spirited bird. Since he wakes up earlier then her to assist on the king's morning patrols, Jicho will sometimes wake up to find some fresh fruit for breakfast outside her hollow. Or perhaps when she comes back from a particularly feather-frazzling mission the older bird will be there to help her preen herself back into shape. And maybe in return Jicho relays back all the info she gathered from the day and about the animals she interacted with, the enemies she thought, and what appears to be the general state of the Pridelands. Even as the king's majordomo, sometimes you can't get all the goings-on about the Pridelands, so having someone invested and first-handily experiencing the conflicts and more serious issues regarding the Pridelands' safety and it's citizens is very handy to have. And at the end of the day the two can relax, sharing the news(cough gossip cough), and ease up a bit before heading off to bed.

Though it is a bit embarrassing for her to admit, due to her lack of a great relationship with her family, Jicho is immensely grateful for Zazu sort of stepping up as a parental figure in her life. Her own father helped inspire her to be better when it came to her risk-taking and flying abilities, though Zazu really has helped her out by giving her tips on how to physically better herself through self-care techniques, assisting her with knowing how to interact with different creatures, and generally being a good listener to more personal issues. Zazu is like a more grounded version of her dad, occasionally showing several of her mother's traits as well such as being cautious and diligent, though it doesn't feel as suffocating as her mother's way of teaching.

Zazu also enjoy Jicho's company in a similar, almost familial way. Though interacting with birds is expected and common as majordomo, Jicho has been the only real bird to frequent the most around him and to really interact with, something that he really hasn't had since his father and siblings moved. With his busy position and schedule, he hasn't really gotten the opportunity to make any deep connections with anyone, be it romantic or friendly, aside from his bosses and the leaders of the various packs, herds, and flocks. He does enjoy having a young, apprentice-like friend around which he can mentor and engage with at more leisurely, convenient times. He won't admit it either, though Jicho almost feels like a daughter/niece to him, and he values that she often goes to him for advice and guidance. He also does admire her abilities to interact and negotiate with several animals, as well as keeping track of everything that is going around her.

To be honest, he does hope she continues down this path she's on, and maybe consider going for a higher position one day, perhaps under the next ruler as the next majordomo? He hasn't broached the topic with her yet and it's still far too early, though Zazu is certainly not going to follow his own mother's legacy idea, rather he would want to choose his successor based on their abilities and traits. Just a thing to consider, though if not that he would at least like to keep hanging out with her. Being majordomo is often a lonely, thankless position, so having a fellow bird who understands the difficulties of a royal, noble position and shares similar interests does make the days go on easier.

Yeah after the last Zazu picture being so bittersweet, I wanted to give a bit more positive love towards the king's majordomo. He really does do a good job and he's always been enjoyable for being a secondary character. Since Jicho is one of my more popular characters, and I did partially model her personality off of Zazu's(with a cocky, daredevil trait addition), having them have a good relationship was something I did like the idea of and wanted to explore a bit more. Considering I gave both of them similar pasts with estranged families, I think I would like to have them have a similar story where the both of them confide in each other regarding their previous home lives and the desire to reconcile with them and reconnect, only for them to go off and do just that with Jicho going off to find and amend things with her mother and siblings and Zazu with his and his dad.

As for the entire Jicho as Zazu's successor, I am really digging that idea as a destiny for her, though I haven't completely set it in stone yet. I am still trying to sort of figure out the destinies/endings for my AU Guard, and I'll try not to spoil too much here, though while Jibe as a possible apprentice/successor for Rafiki is a possibility, and Kiara's definitely has multiple different variations in mind, Mbio and Shika are more difficult to come up with, though perhaps that simply is because I need to develop their characters more. Eh, I definitely want them to mature a bit, that's for sure, perhaps by having to learn some harsher lessons/truths about reality, nature, and 'society', though I'll save what I have planned for some upcoming pictures. Since I'm getting close to the end for my Nuka AU project, hopefully you should expect to see some more TLG AU pics coming up soon.

Also, I did make some slight changes to Jicho's appearance, namely her surrounding eye color and her beak, though I was kinda trying to have her model a bit off of Zazu with the upwards tail and such. I know she's technically a lilac-breasted roller, though lacks many of the various colors/characteristics of the species. Then again, since she was modeled off the litle bird's appearance from the "We Are One" song, and Zazu is technically an African red-billed hornbill, and yet looks nothing like them(2019 version not withstanding), I think some artistic liberties can be taken here.

Zazu © The Lion King © Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jicho, Art © Vtoony

Description
I do give my own character Jicho quite a bit of attention now don't I? As Kiara's keenest of sight and right paw bird, also one of her BFFs, as well as being relatively small and easy transportable, she's has the second most appearances in my AU right after Kiara. And you know what? Drawing her makes me happy and I've still got a lot more to say about her.

Mention this several times before, but she and Zazu get along very well in this AU. After she joined the Guard, she set up a more permanent residence in the trees by Pride Rock, which just so happened to be close where Zazu's home was located. Being the king's majordomo and essentially the king's eyes, ears, and resident relations organizer, Zazu opted to try and build a relationship with his new neighbor and fellow avian servant for the royal family.

Now the two have some very notable differences about them. Zazu is a distinguished, dignified, and respectable. He serves his king with a duty-bound spirit, noble mannerisms, and perhaps a slight pompous air, though can occasionally get overwhelmed and lose his self-control. Jicho, on the other wing, serves on the Lion Guard, meaning she frequently gets into altercations of the violent, 'hands-on' approach. Spirited, cocky, and bold, she serves as both the scout of the Guard and as their aerial offense/support. Whether it's divebombing onto hyena faces, loudly and energetically showing off her aerial techniques/moves, or getting into messy situations with little regard for her life, she's quite the feisty ball of energy.

However, in spite of their obvious differences, Zazu and Jicho have a remarkably friendly relationship to each other. For one, they both care deeply about their duties and are extremely loyal. Secondly, they do have some similar personality traits, such as being very confident in their socializing abilities, knowledgeable of connections, and, admittedly guilty, their desires for all the latest news and personal gossip among the Pridelands, as well as havign maybe a bit too much pride about themselves too. Lastly, they share very similar home/family lives, both having dealt with overbearing mothers, irritating siblings, and the resulting fallout between them, as well as the hope and desire to one day reconcile with them.

Sure they sometimes do have petty squabbles and do occasionally send mockeries and teasing towards each other, though it's hardly malicious and sometimes it is rather deserved/true. Also Zazu does very much enjoy having someone within his feathery animal class around to interact with one occasion, and has developed a bit of a fondness for the spirited bird. Since he wakes up earlier then her to assist on the king's morning patrols, Jicho will sometimes wake up to find some fresh fruit for breakfast outside her hollow. Or perhaps when she comes back from a particularly feather-frazzling mission the older bird will be there to help her preen herself back into shape. And maybe in return Jicho relays back all the info she gathered from the day and about the animals she interacted with, the enemies she thought, and what appears to be the general state of the Pridelands. Even as the king's majordomo, sometimes you can't get all the goings-on about the Pridelands, so having someone invested and first-handily experiencing the conflicts and more serious issues regarding the Pridelands' safety and it's citizens is very handy to have. And at the end of the day the two can relax, sharing the news(cough gossip cough), and ease up a bit before heading off to bed.

Though it is a bit embarrassing for her to admit, due to her lack of a great relationship with her family, Jicho is immensely grateful for Zazu sort of stepping up as a parental figure in her life. Her own father helped inspire her to be better when it came to her risk-taking and flying abilities, though Zazu really has helped her out by giving her tips on how to physically better herself through self-care techniques, assisting her with knowing how to interact with different creatures, and generally being a good listener to more personal issues. Zazu is like a more grounded version of her dad, occasionally showing several of her mother's traits as well such as being cautious and diligent, though it doesn't feel as suffocating as her mother's way of teaching.

Zazu also enjoy Jicho's company in a similar, almost familial way. Though interacting with birds is expected and common as majordomo, Jicho has been the only real bird to frequent the most around him and to really interact with, something that he really hasn't had since his father and siblings moved. With his busy position and schedule, he hasn't really gotten the opportunity to make any deep connections with anyone, be it romantic or friendly, aside from his bosses and the leaders of the various packs, herds, and flocks. He does enjoy having a young, apprentice-like friend around which he can mentor and engage with at more leisurely, convenient times. He won't admit it either, though Jicho almost feels like a daughter/niece to him, and he values that she often goes to him for advice and guidance. He also does admire her abilities to interact and negotiate with several animals, as well as keeping track of everything that is going around her.

To be honest, he does hope she continues down this path she's on, and maybe consider going for a higher position one day, perhaps under the next ruler as the next majordomo? He hasn't broached the topic with her yet and it's still far too early, though Zazu is certainly not going to follow his own mother's legacy idea, rather he would want to choose his successor based on their abilities and traits. Just a thing to consider, though if not that he would at least like to keep hanging out with her. Being majordomo is often a lonely, thankless position, so having a fellow bird who understands the difficulties of a royal, noble position and shares similar interests does make the days go on easier.

Yeah after the last Zazu picture being so bittersweet, I wanted to give a bit more positive love towards the king's majordomo. He really does do a good job and he's always been enjoyable for being a secondary character. Since Jicho is one of my more popular characters, and I did partially model her personality off of Zazu's(with a cocky, daredevil trait addition), having them have a good relationship was something I did like the idea of and wanted to explore a bit more. Considering I gave both of them similar pasts with estranged families, I think I would like to have them have a similar story where the both of them confide in each other regarding their previous home lives and the desire to reconcile with them and reconnect, only for them to go off and do just that with Jicho going off to find and amend things with her mother and siblings and Zazu with his and his dad.

As for the entire Jicho as Zazu's successor, I am really digging that idea as a destiny for her, though I haven't completely set it in stone yet. I am still trying to sort of figure out the destinies/endings for my AU Guard, and I'll try not to spoil too much here, though while Jibe as a possible apprentice/successor for Rafiki is a possibility, and Kiara's definitely has multiple different variations in mind, Mbio and Shika are more difficult to come up with, though perhaps that simply is because I need to develop their characters more. Eh, I definitely want them to mature a bit, that's for sure, perhaps by having to learn some harsher lessons/truths about reality, nature, and 'society', though I'll save what I have planned for some upcoming pictures. Since I'm getting close to the end for my Nuka AU project, hopefully you should expect to see some more TLG AU pics coming up soon.

Also, I did make some slight changes to Jicho's appearance, namely her surrounding eye color and her beak, though I was kinda trying to have her model a bit off of Zazu with the upwards tail and such. I know she's technically a lilac-breasted roller, though lacks many of the various colors/characteristics of the species. Then again, since she was modeled off the litle bird's appearance from the "We Are One" song, and Zazu is technically an African red-billed hornbill, and yet looks nothing like them(2019 version not withstanding), I think some artistic liberties can be taken here.

Zazu © The Lion King © Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jicho, Art © Vtoony