A/N: Hello, here with another new story. As you can probably tell from the title and the summary, this is my attempt to inject one of my favorite Disney movies into my favorite TV show. A few technical things. This takes place after season three. Everything happened as normal, except that Rumpelstiltskin succeeded in killing Zelena, so there is no time portal, no Zelena coming back as Maid Marian and no Frozen. This is a pretty major AU because of that. Everything else happened as in the show. I own nothing. I do not own Once Upon a Time nor the Lion King. This is just a bit of fun. I hope you enjoy this beginning.
Chapter One: A Portal and a Prince
Henry was having a hard time sleeping, and not just because of his crying uncle. He couldn't entirely sort through what had happened. He'd been without his memories, was brought back to Storybrooke by his mom and Hook, been totally oblivious as the Wicked Witch had tried to destroy his family again, and had lost his father without knowing who he was. Their family could never catch a break.
"Hey Kid, how you holding up?" Henry looked up to see his mom holding two cups of cocoa. She sat across from him in the desk chair handing him one of the mugs. Her eyes were red and puffy.
He shrugged lifting the mug to his lips. "Tired." The word was loaded. "I…" He blinked. "He… do you think he knew?"
Her reply was choked with tears. " Oh Henry... of course. Dad knew you loved him."
They sat in silence, staring out the window that looked out to the town of Storybrooke, mother and son taking comfort in each other, lost in their shared grief.
Mary Margaret bounced baby Neal on her lap watching her husband as he stared out the window intently.
"David," Her voice was a whisper. Neal was just getting sleepy. Best not to break the mood.
"Can you see that?" David leaned forward squinting, staring at a point Mary Margaret could just barely make out in the distance.
What can it be this time? Mary Margaret felt herself tense, hearing a frightened note in her husband's tone. Maybe there really was something out the window. She walked over continuing to rock her son gently. What she saw made her gasp. A flash of green light, a portal opening, and landing on the concrete under the glow of the streetlights, a young man.
The boy opened his eyes, blinking away the pain as he took in his surroundings. This was not his home. So it worked.
Instead he was in a strange place, quite strange. This was no land he recognized. The road was dark. At points he could see posts with light, torches of some kind. But he saw no flame. He could see odd looking objects, carriages sitting on the side of the road including a bright yellow one (the color was bright enough and close enough to the torch that he could see it). He saw buildings along the road including one where a door was opening, and out came a man and a woman. The woman held a baby asleep in her arms.
"Are you alright?" The woman spoke looking directly at him.
The boy stood up, an accented question on his lips. "Excuse me, but what place is this?"
The man and the woman exchanged a look before they turned back to him.
"This is Storybrooke." The man replied.
"Storybrooke?" The boy tested the name on his tongue. "And this is what the kingdom is called?"
"I guess you could say that." The woman said.
"And your kingdom's rulers? They are nearby?"
Again the man and woman exchanged a look making the boy feel even more out of place.
The man stepped forward. "I'm David, this is Snow White."
"My name is Simba. Can you help me?"
David watched the boy, Simba, exploring the apartment. He was in awe. It was as if he were seeing things for the first time, then again considering he had come through a portal, maybe he was. "We'll have to wait until morning, but you're welcome to spend the night here. Then we can get you a room at Granny's." David said.
The boy smiled, a small and hesitant quirking of lips. "Thank you David."
David observed the boy. He couldn't be much older than nineteen. His lips were cracked, his clothes were little more than rags, of fine make but worn with time. David walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "Are you thirsty?"
A quick nod. David handed Simba the open water bottle. The way the boy drank, it seemed that he hadn't for quite some time.
"You said you needed help?" Mary Margaret spoke from the corner where she was laying Neal in the crib.
"Yes." The boy sighed. "I was told that another land could provide…protection."
"Mom, Dad?" Mary Margaret turned to see Emma on the steps, followed closely by Henry. "What…?" Her eyes found Simba's.
David spoke. "He needs our help."
A/N: Well, what do you think? Do you want to see more? The next chapter will involve Simba explaining his situation to the Storybrooke crew, and a flashback to Simba's birth. Please let me know what you think, predictions and how you think the Lion King will translate to One Upon a Time's Universe. I'd love to know.