Episode 3 – A deadly duo

"Are we already there, boss?", an animal said to his partner, while walking through a wasteland. His partner shaked his head and kept looking forward.

"Ah, man. Why don't we ask these guys for the way?", he said again and looked at three hyenas. His partner stopped walking and sat down, before he looked at him.

"Alright, alright. I'll do it.", he said to his boss and walked up to them.
"Yo, hyenas." One of the hyenas turned herself and looked up to the gigantic bear who was talking to them.
"Ba...Banzai?"
"What is it?!", an other hyena turned himself annoyed to the guy who was talking to them and got instantly paralyized.
"Do ya know about Scar?" When he said that, the last hyena turned himself and started laughing shrill and loud.
"What's so funny, punk?"
"Ed!", the other two hyenas screamed at the third one and made him shut up. The bear watched them for a while clowning around, before he starting talking again.
"For the last time, do ya know about Scar?"
"S...S...Scar?", Banzai stuttered and looked next to him at Shenzi.
"Yes! We...eh...we served Scar!"
"Oh really? I'm sure if it's that way, you can show us the way into the Pride Lands, right?"
While the bear was talking to the hyenas, his partner walked next to him and looked at the three.
"S..S..Shenzi?"
"Banzai?"
"Why do we always have to deal with lions?", he said and looked at the muscular lion that walked next to the bear.
"Isn't that a little bit mean to my boss?"
"Oh no! I didn't mean it that way!"

"Show us the way.", the lion said in a rough voice and looked at Banzai.
"J...just walk towards these mountains! They will lead you into the outland and they into the Pride Lands.", he said and sweated in fear.
"I hope you're not messing around with us.", the lion said and looked towards the mountains. The bear looked at the same direction and then back to the hyenas.
"Hey, if they served Scar, why don't they serve us? I mean, would be more useful than killing them, right?" The three were shaking when they heared that the two strangers wanted to kill them at first.
The lion drove out his claws and said: "Food is always more important, than some goofy sidekicks."

4 weeks later, Kovu invited Kiara to his old home for a special date. He brought her a gazelle leg and put it in front of her.
"Happy six-month anniversary!", he said proudly and waited for her reaction. Kiara didn't know what to do or say, she was overwhelmed by the fact that Kovu catched something.
"Kovu...when did you.."
"You know, when you went to sleep, I went back outside to train myself for catching prey today! I didn't want anything to go wrong today.", he said and pushed the leg with his nose towards to Kiara. She sat down and started eating her present happily.
"Thank...you, Kovu.", Kiara said juicy while a tear ran down her cheek.
"Ki..Kiara, are you crying?"
"I just...I can't believe you did this for me. This day is perfect! I mean except for the location, I can still smell Zira."
"Sorry, but I wanted something personal and...far away from your father." Kiara walked up to him and hugged him. "It's perfect, Kovu. It's perfect.", she said and closed her eyes.
Kovu was satisfied for the moment, but then he asked her: "Did you...invite someone?"
Kiara stopped hugging him and looked at his face. "That's our day, who should I invite?"
"I don't know, these two?", he said and pointed behind Kiara at another Lion next to a bear.

Kiara walked back some steps and looked at the strangers. The bear walked a few meters towards them and then stood up.
"Yo, lions. Do ya knowabout a Scar? We're lookin for his kingdom.", the bear said and looked at them.

"Oh no, everything was perfect! Why do they show up, now? I can't run away now, not in front of Kiara...", Kovu thought and walked some steps towards the bear.
"You're to late. Scar died years ago.", he said self-assured.
"We already know that, but it looks like we're at the right place."
"For what?"
"Meeting Simba.", he said and laughed a bit. Kiara walked next to Kovu and started to act self-assured, too.

"I am King Simba's daughter, princess Kiara. If you want something from my father, you can talk with me." Kovu looked scared at Kiara. Now that they knew who she is, there was a higher risk that they would try to kidnap her.
"Simba's daughter? Oh, what a lucky coincidence.", he said and looked over to her.
"We're here to take over the Pride Lands, your majesty." When he said that, Kovu jumped ahead of Kiara and bared his teeth, while looking at the 2 meter bear.
"Forget it! And now leave, you're not welcome here!", Kovu roared and tried to be as frightening as possible.
"Sweet."
"Don't underestimate me!"
"Come at me, kitty."
Kovu roared as loud as he coud and jumped with his claws at the bear and tried to cut his throat. The bear smiled, reached back and then hold his paw in front of Kovus face, what made him freeze in the air.

"What...what is happening?!", he thought to himself and tried to move, but everything he could move, were his eyeballs.
"Kovu!", Kiara yelled worried and looked at him stuck in the air.
"Hehe...they're always so shocked at their first time...hehe...Pear-Bunch." Once again he reached back and punched Kovu right in his face, that he flew by Kiara into the next wall.

"No!", she screamed and ran to him. The bear just stayed where he was and watched what they were up to.
"What...what are you?", Kiara said scared, while walking in front of Kovu who was laying in the rocks.
"Just told ya. We're the new rulers of the Pride Lands."
"No, you're not!", Kovu screamed and jumped back on his feet. The bear was surprised, but in the mood for a worthy opponent.
"Oh, got back on the track? Great. Time for round two."
"Anytime...", he panted and tried not to faint. Kiara walked in front of him and looked at his face.
"This is crazy! We need to tell my father!"
"No...I...can do this.."
"Kovu, don't be stupid!" When Kiara said that, she triggered something in him. On that special day, he didn't want to be a fool in Kiara's eyes. He just nodded and tried to run away with her.
"Haha hell no. Get back here!", the bear yelled and took a run up.
"Let them go.", the lion said from behind and watched them running out of the outlands.
"But they're going to come back wit everyone they got, boss."
"I know. I want to see how strong this kingdom is, before we take it over."
"But that lion was fun to play with..."
"Don't worry, Baska. I'm sure this Simba won't be much stronger."

Meanwhile at the Pride Rock, Simba sat in the sunlight and enjoyed his life.

"Aaah, what a wonderful day. No danger, no Kovu, much Nala, very nice. So roar.", he said to himself and smiled with closed eyes.
"Simba!" "Dad!" He heared two screams coming towards the Pride Rock and looked at the direction, they were coming from. Kovu and Kiara came right at him and also pulled the attention from the other lions.
"Simba, we're in..."
"You had to do this, right Kovu?"
"This is serious!"
"Yea yea, go on."
"There are a lion and a bear in the outland, planning to overtake the Pride Lands."
"Oh, wow. Two guys."
"Dad, listen!", Kiara said and walked in front of him.
"These guys are special. Kovu tried to attack the bear and freezed in the air! He couldn't move anymore...They are dangerous!"
"Oh no..."
"Looks like you finally understand the..."
"I missed the part where Kovu got beat up. Damn..."
"Dad!"
"Okay, okay. But how could you escape if they were so powerful?"
"They didn't follow us...for some reason..."
"They're waiting for us. What do we do now?", Kovu said and looked seriously at Simba. All other lions were looking at him and were waiting what their King was planing to do, to stop these dangerous two.
Simba looked up for a moment, before he said: "Nothing."
Everyone just stood there, while realizing that this was Simbas plan.
"Nothing?!", Kovu said angrily and bared his teeth.
"Yes. They're waing for us, right? In the Outland? We have no reason to be there in the first place and why should we play their game? Just stay here and live your life.", he said and walked back into his cave.
Kovu looked after him and didn't know what to say. "He got a good point.", Kiara said.
"Actually...yes.", Kovu accepted unwillingly and looked back at the Outland.

At the next day, Baska and his boss came towards the Pride Rock and got spotted by Vitani. "Simba, look!", she yelled and made him look down at them, from the top of the Pride Rock. The other lions were watching carefully from a good distance.
"Hey! Are you Simba?", Baska asked and looked up to him.
"Yes, why?"
"Where the fuck have you been?!"
"In general or on a specific day?"
"Stop foolin' me ya scumcat!"
"Hey hey, my daughter can hear you. Please take care of what you say."
"Fuck you! We're waiting all day!"
"Now you're here. Sounds fine to me."
"Oh you little..."
"Baska, keep calm.", the lion said and walked in front of his partner.
"Nice to finally meet you, King Simba.", he said and walked up slowly the Pride Rock. The lions took back some steps, while Simba was watching him.
"Why can he just go up here? I mean...we're more.", Simba said confused. He bared his teeth to scare the lion, but he kept walking forward, until he stood in front of Simba.
"Let's talk."

"Leave my land. Now."
"I don't think you're in the position to threat me."
"Sure? Because I see more than 10 lions on my side that are ready to..."
"You stay on top of your rock, with your back to the abyss."
"Good point."

"I don't see a lion that could help you anyway. Which one were you talking about? The gay one?"
"Hey! I'm the only one who's insulting Kovu!"
"He was talking about Ken.", Kovu yelled from the back and walked behind the new lion.
"Oh, right. Back to the topic...who are you anyway?", Simba asked.

"My name is Zerrath.", he said and kept looking at Simba.
"What...are you looking at?"
Zerrath sighed and looked down. "You're not a real King. Your eyes are telling me that you're nothing more than a placeholder until a worthy lion arrives."
"I thought you want to takeover the Pride Lands anyway! Why do you try to read me?"
"I just wanted to know if you're a worthy opponent.", Zerrath said and looked Simba in deep into his eyes. Kovu got in Position to Attack him from behind, whenever he would try to push Simba.
"And you're not." When Zerrath said that, Kovu pulled his tail with everything he got and and yelled: "Run, Simba!"

Zerrath didn't move at all and kicked Kovu with his left foot, right into the Pride Rock and made Simbas cave collapse.
"Kovu!", Kiara screamed panicly and ran towards the rubble.

"My cave!", Simba screamed and bared his teeth at Zerrath. The sky went dark and clouds were gathering above Simba.
"Ayyo, Boss! I think you pissed the shit outta him! You might leave him alone!", Baska yelled while Zerrath stood fascinated in front of Simba and watched his aura growing bigger and bigger.
"Oh, do you think so? Why don't you test if he's a serious threat to me?"
"On my way!", Baska yelled and jumped once, all the way up ,from the ground to the Pride Rocks top, behind Simba.
"Kear-Bick!",he screamed and kicked with this right foot in Simbas direction. When his foot reached him, the powerful aura around simba blocked the attack and threw him back all the way into the outland.

While the sky was roaring and covered by lighting strikes, Zerrath was still looking at Simba and started to smile.
"He didn't even move and could defeate Baska...unbelievable. His Anger made his power overwhelming.", he said to himself.
"No one enters my cave! And you threw fucking Kovu in it! And you didn't just ruin it this way, you literally ruined it!"
"I'll take a back what I said earlier. You are a worthy king, but I'm still not sure if you're also a worthy opponent."

"This is your last chance! Leave or I'll fucking destroy you!", Simba said with bared teeth to Zerrath.

Meanwhile was Kiara trying to save Kovu and noticed that someone was missing.
"Mum? Mum?! Where are you?!", she screamed desperatly.
"Looks like Kovu isn't alone in there.", Zerrath said and kept smiling at Simba. At this moment, Simba realised that Nala was still in the cave when it collapsed.
"My Pussy, nooooooooooooo!",he screamed with everything he got. A lightning struck between him and Zerrath made together with Simba's scream the whole Pride Rock collapse. He stood in the air while everything under his feet was falling down. Zerrath jumped backwards on the ground and started releasing darkness out of his body.

"Looks like you are worthy, Simba. Show me how much of a king you are."
"You'll die here!", Simba screamed and charged in Zerraths direction. Zerrath jumped in the air, that Simba crashed into the wall, and shot a ball of dark energy after him. The explosion damaged the cave even more, but also set Kovu under the rocks free.

"Kovu!", Kiara tried to wake up her boyfriend, but he didn't respond. She could only notice that he was still breething, so she carried him away from the fight.
Simba flew back in the air and attacked Zerrath with his claws and tried to slit his throat. Zerrath blocked every single hit easily with his paws and then countered when Simba was careless.
"Paw of one thousand claws.", he said quietly, but loud enough for Simba to hear it.
"What?" Before Simba realised what Zerrath was doing, he got struck by his right paw all over his body. When Simba tried to attack again, he felt multiple cuts on his body and screamed painfully.
"Way to easy.", Zerrath said when Simba fell down and his blood float all over the ground.

"Daddy, no!", Kiara screamed scared and looked at her father. Kovu woke up slowly when he heared Kiaras scream and tried to stood up.
"Ki...Kiara..."
"Kovu! You're awake! You...must leave this place!"
"Wha...what are you talking about?"
"Zerrath! He's unstopable...look at my father.", she said and made Kovu look at Simba. He walked some steps forward and tried to realize the situation.
"Simba..."
"He will kill all of us! But...I won't let him kill you, too. Run Kovu."
"Is that your plan?!"
"Whatelse can we do?! If my father can't beat him, no one here can do it!" Kovu lowered his head and crawled himself into the ground.
"That's enough."
"Kovu no."
"You don't believe in me..no one does!"
"I do! But please don't..."
"I will show everyone what I am made of.", Kovu said to Kiara and walked in front of the bleeding Simba. He looked up and saw Zerrath levitating in air, waiting for someone to respond to him.
"Ko..Kovu? You're alive?"
"Yes, Simba."
"Hmpf."
"Hey I'm here to help you!"
"No thanks...I'm okay.."
"Either I help you, or you'll die!"
"Hm...can I have a minute?"
"Simba!"
"Hey, this is a very important choice! It's about my life."
"I don't care how much you dislike me, but I won't let this guy destroy the Pride Lands.", Kovu said and made himself ready to fight.
"You know...no matter how resolved you are...IT DOESN'T CURE MY FUCKING WOUNDS!"
"Right...give me a sec..", Kovu turned himself to Simba and laid his paw over his wounds. When he touched the wounds, a green light appeared and healed all of Simbas damages. He felt immediatley better and couldn't believe what just happened.
"Kovu, you saved my life...how did you do that?"
"I...I don't know...I felt like something like that would happen."
"Are you two finally done, or do I need to wait even more?", Zerrath interrupted them from above.

Simba stood up slowly and looked at Zerrath.
"Thanks, Kovu. You saved me and now...it's my duty to do the same for my home!", Simba yelled and rushed into the air, right in front of Zerrath.
"Round two. Paw of one thousand claws." Zerrath charged at Simba again and attacked him.
"Guard!", Simba roared and made up an energy shield in front of him, caused by his roar and blocked Zerraths attack. When his attack was over, Simba stopped immediately roaring and slashed his tail with everything he got against him and threw him some meters away.
"Impressive! Let's see how far your power goes." Zerrath charged up an enourm amount of dark energy, that Simba could see floating out of his body. Simba's body started doing the same the thing by itself and was glowing like crazy.
"Now come, Simba! Show me what you got!" Zerrath screamed excited and charged at Simba. Simba countered that by doing the exact same thing and clashed with all of his power against Zerrath's dark spirit. By clashing against each other, the Pride Rock's ground and rocks started crumbling and levitating up to the fighting lions.

"Hide, everyone!", Kiara screamed and ran together with the other lions away from the fight. The clash ended up exploding between the two lions pushed them away from each other. Zerrath was able to land on his feet, while Simba fell down on his body and coughed. Slowly the other lions came back to look what happened and stopped right behind Zerrath, who was obviously at the end of his strengh. Simba stood up slowly, trembling and looked in Zerraths direciton.

"Good fight, your majesty."
"Give up, Zerrath! You're surrounded, it's over!", Simba shouted while his body was glowing less and less.
"He, you're right. It would be over. It would be.", Zerrath said smiling, when suddenly his body started vanishing in dark clouds.
"Freeze!", Kovu yelled and jumped right at Zerrath, but when he reached him, he already disappeared.

"No...no, I already got him! Oh I'm such a..."
"Kovu! Stop that. You did a great job and saved my life.", Simba said and made Kovu seriously smile happily.
"Are...are you serious?!"
"Yes. I just...can't believe that we lost Nala toda..."
"I'm okay! I was sitting in a cavity!"
"Oh. Oh, that's great! I'll come to you in a minute, after I finished praising Kovu for the first time in my life!"
"Okay!"
"Now back to you, Kovu. Today, you showed us all that you're truly a real lion and worthy king."
"Hahaha, enough! I can't hold it anymore, hahaha." Everyone looked up to the sky and saw Mufasa's face in the clouds laughing.
"Dad?"
"You should have seen your face, when you told Kovu he saved you. Hahaha."
"What do you mean?"
"Okay, okay, do you really think you got these powers from beeing angry?"
"Well...maybe?"
"I gave you all my spiritual power to beat up that guy! In the end I even put my whole existence into your body that you could match up with him."
"That was...all you? But..but what about the healing part?"
"Oh here we go, that's my favorite part haha. You lie bleeding on the ground and Kovu tried to hold his dirty paws into your open wounds, haha. I mean what the fuck is wrong with you? If I didn't heal you from inside you probably got injured and suffered painfully, haha."
"...What?"
"He'd probably kill you with that, son." Simba just stood there with his mouth open, looking at Mufasa. Kovu slowly tried to sneak away while they were talking.
"Koooovuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
"Shit."
"I hope you like cleaning up, because this whole mess is your fault and you're going to repair my giant stone!"

"I...I...*sigh* I should just start cleaning up, right?"
"No, you should have already started when you were asking me! Now follow me, everyone. We'll need a place to sleep.", Simba said pissed off, exhausted and in any other negative mood someone can have. The lions followed him without looking back, only Kiara walked up to her boyfriend.
"Hey, I think you were pretty brave today."
"Really?"
"Yes, I'm glad to have you in my life."
"Thank you, Kiara..."
"Well, looks like there's a lot to clean up. Should I help you?"
"No, thanks I..."
"Okay.", Kiara said and ran after Simba, before Kovu could change his mind. He stood in this whole mess and looked around. Slowly he walked up on the big heap of rock that was once the Pride Rock and sat down.
"Roar.", he said and watched the sun going down.

In the evening, Simba walked away from the herd, when everyone was sleeping, to talk with his father again.
"Father, who was this guy? I still don't get what happened today."
"I don't exactly know who he was, but I felt the power of many strong lions when he attacked you."
"You mean, some spirits merged with him like you merged with me?"
"It felt more like he trapped them. You know, when a lion with a strong will dies, he's able to still exist in the circle of life. Like me, as a spiritual appearance. But just because these spirits are not alive, doesn't mean they are untouchable. I'm sure that this lion absorbed some of these spirits and abuses them for his goals."
"There was a lot of dark energy, do you think it is possibly that he absorbed Scar, too?"
"Scar was not in there, but I'm sure he's one of the reasons he's here for." Simba looked thoughtfully to the ground and then back to Mufasa.
"But what can we do about it? I'm just as strong as you are and..."
"That's not right."
"What?"
"I can give you all my strengh, that the only thing left would be my existence. With this power, you can become stronger by yourself and yes, that's the plan."
"Alright. Now to the important part: Did Kovu sit on the rock heap where the Pride Rock was?"
"Yes."
"What an asshole. Kooooooooooovu!"

Meanwhile in the outland:
"Aaaah, my back! Didn't expect somethin' like that."
"Me neither, Baska. Me neither."
"Don't worry, boss. Next time I'll see him, this punk's history."
"I'm sorry, Baska. But you'll have to deal with others. From now on:
Simba is mine."