I really don't even remember how this came up, honestly, but at some point this fall, conversations with my friend Brit and I led to me starting to outline a Firefly/Lion King AU. It's been fun, but it's also been tough. I really haven't written Firefly at all – and I've never written for The Lion King – so trying to blend the personalities of the characters so both of them show up, while trying to stay true to important characterization/motivations in Firefly while telling the story of The Lion King was a tall order for me. It also pained me to not be able to put Wash and Zoe together. But as much as I adore Wash, there were many reasons why I didn't feel he was Mufasa, and Zoe Brit and I both felt would be a great Sarabi.

This fic will follow the storyline of The Lion King and Simba's Pride. Some events may occur in an unfamiliar order. Some characters (cough Zoe cough) will have a larger part in the fic than the respective Lion King character, especially if I felt the character (cough Sarabi cough) didn't have enough screen time in the actual movie. I also take a few liberties with the technology on Serenity.

Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly nor The Lion King. And I apologize for the long A/N.


Here's how it is.

We got this business driven government system, the Alliance. The Alliance is driven by greed and breaks its own rules when convenient, but don't say that to its face. They don't much care about those of us that live beyond the core, but the feeling is mutual. Out in the black, we get by on our own. Those of us with ships carry others between homes, between jobs. Some of us have been protecting smaller vessles for generations. I'm Derrial Book, fifth generation captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship, Firefly class. We've got a couple dozen on board, some temporary; others are permanent, like my pilot, an old mechanic. There's also an apprentice from the core, sent here to learn some responsibility 'fore he inherits his parents' fortune on Persephone. We also have a young cook, and a Companion and her new baby. There's another infant on board, too, a boy. His name is Malcolm Reynolds, and he's my son.


Wash tapped his finger on the console impatiently. He knew the apprentice was in his room; if he'd come out at all today, the Captain wouldn't be so angry. "Gorramit, answer."

Finally the screen flickered and a face appeared. "What is it, Wash?"

The voice sounded impatient, the typical I'm bored by you attitude that the apprentice usually gave the ship's pilot. "I've been told to inform you that Captain Book is on his way to your shuttle. He's madder than a crossed Niska. You'd better have a good excuse for not being present in the wave this morning." Wash paused, hearing a knocking through the wave. "That must be him now. I'd advise you to answer the door, and be polite."


The man on the other side raised his eyebrows slightly. "Hmmm," was the dismissive response. Turning – forgetting to end the wave – the young man walked lazily to the door and opened it. "Well, if it isn't the Captain, looking to grace the disgraced apprentice with his exhausted presence."

"No one is disgracing you, Atherton," Book said kindly, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder. "My concern at the moment is why you weren't part of the wave presentation of my son this morning. All three dozen ships and shuttles under our protection were watching. I'm sure they noted your absence."

"Oh," Atherton said. "That was today? I apologize. It's been a rough week for me, you understand. I am no longer first in line to captain this ship."

"I am the fifth to captain Serenity as a protective ship," Book said. "My great-great…"

"Grandfather, your great grandmother, your grandfather, your father, and now you," Atherton said. "You've mentioned it once or twice."

"Then you know," Book said. "You always knew. If Zoe and I were to have a child, he or she would be the next captain of Serenity. Not showing up to the wave is a sign of disrespect, and sadness over the inevitable is no excuse."

"Would it help terribly if I visited the boy and curtsied?" Atherton asked, bending a knee slightly in example. "You know my family provided you with funds when I came to stay here. Many of Serenity's inner workings are paid for by the Wings. I've got a legitimate claim to this ship and…"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. "Is that a challenge?" Book asked fiercely, his jaw set.

"Oh, temper," Atherton said. "How would I possibly challenge you? You with your...son."

"Don't entertain that thought," Book said in warning. "It would not end well for you. You are treated quite well here. Don't blow it out of greed."

Atherton set his jaw. "Understood, Captain."

As Book left, Wash ended the wave, shaking his head.


"What are you going to do with him?" Wash said as the captain came up to the bridge. "He thinks he's going to start some sort of uprising? Take over the ship?"

"I wouldn't worry about him," Book said. "When Malcolm comes of age, Atherton will return to Persephone and his parents or find another ship to captain. And if he does do that, I can't imagine he would be all that successful. He's too selfish. And as the Romans said, 'but for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger'."

"There's one in every group of people," Wash said, nodding. He raised an eyebrow. "Two in mine, actually. So, if I may change the subject, how's the Companion's child?"

"Well," Book said. "Got a lot more hair than Malcolm, I've noticed. And he's the louder of the two."

"Is the good woman going to stay around? It might be nice if she does. She's quite nice."

"Oh, I think she will. She'll need a unit to watch the girl while she works. And it will be nice for Malcolm to have a friend and playmate."

"You don't want him growing up admiring Atherton Wing? I gotta say, I usually agree with you, but this…"

Book smirked in Wash's direction as he left the bridge.

Hope that wasn't too horrid for y'all to sit through! It gets much more interesting (in my opinion) as the story goes on - as it does in the movie.