Chapter 4

"It's like I said when I finished reading the rules I was transported into my favorite story, and rule eight says that I'd be transported into any random version of my story. In fact in one version Kopa would have come back by now, unless I'm too early."

"What do you mean 'come back' Kopa is dead I saw it with my own eyes."

"Technically you saw him injured, but in the version I'm talking about, he survived but didn't come back in fear of Zira."

"So your saying that in this version of your favorite story he might still be alive."

"Yes, but the opposite is also true, this might be the version where he is truly dead."

"How can we find out?" asked Simba eagerly.

"We'll that would bring us to rule five, if I hold this book closed and ask it to show me somthing, it'll show me what I ask."

"So it could show me Kopa."

"Yes, would you like me to try?"

"Could you?"

Oliver exhaled loudly, "Let's give it a go," and he held The Book closed. "Show me Kopa," he said. And when he opened the book what he saw was a lion cub's skeleton, "I'm sorry," he said, "Kopa is dead." This was like a blow to the heart to Simba, "If what you say is true, then why did you come here, my entire life is just a story, made to be molded by someone else."

"Well mabey you'll cheer up when you hear rule six, when the writer, that's me, leaves this world, everything that had happened in that version of the story both before and after will have come true, and the story will no longer be a story, it will be fact."

"So my pain will no longer just a story it will become real, great."

"Listen I know it sounds bad now, but it will get better, now come on let's keep reading the rules. Rule three says that I only have this book because I'm pure of heart if become impure of heart, it'll be taken away from me and I'll leave this world and have no memory of what I did. Rule four says that anything I write in this book will come real, I can even change the very laws of nature if I wanted to."

"Wait you say you can change the laws of nature?" asked Simba.

"Well yeah, I could make lions afraid of mice if I wanted to. And lucky for you I don't."

"So are you saying you could bring Kopa back to life?"

"Well technically yes, but-"

"But what," Simba inturupred, "bring him back."

"Listen I would if I could, but rule nine says that to bring life into this world I have to give it a life of equal importance to the asker," explained Oliver.

"So what your saying is-"

"If you want Kopa back, you'd have to give up Kiara," finished Oliver.

"Well there's absolutely no way I could do that," said Simba.

"I'm happy to hear that," said Oliver, "anyway let's continue. Rule seven says that it can bring to me anything I ask for, but it already has to already be in existence. Rule ten says that I can understand anyone, and anything I want to, that's why I can understand all of you. Rule 11 says that when I leave this story The Book moves on to the next writer. Now to explain how you and Kovu were repelled from me when you tried to attack me. You see rule 12 says that only those pure of heart can be near The Book so if someone with an impure heart comes near it it'll try to repel it. And rule 13 says that the more impure ones heart is, the farther away they'll be repelled."

"So that's why I was forced away about a paw's length a way from you, while Kovu was about a leg's length away from you."

"That's right anyway here comes the thing that annoys me the most about this book."

"Rule 14?" Asked Simba.

"Actually it's the lack of, it's just weird in my mind. You see where I'm from 13 is considered to be an unlucky number, it's just not natural in my mind, but I ignore it because there's nothing I can do about it. But that's it, feel free to tell who you want about this but it's totally up to you."

"Thank you now if you can excuse me I'm going to tell my family what I heard here."

"I'll be here when you return, not tht I have much choice."

Some time after Simba had left he, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, and Zazu came back. Nala was the first to speak, "So Simba told us exactly how this works."

"Really so he told you all of the rules of The Book."

"Yeah all 11, that's one weird book where did you get it anyway."

"Yeah 11 rules," Oliver said looking over at Simba, "anyway I guess I just got it because I was the next writer, I didn't choose it."

"But how do we know you're not making this up," said Kovu.

"If I were making it up than how can I understand you."

This made Kovu quite for a moment and then he said, "Well I dunno, all I know is that rule 2 says that we're apparently gonna need you some day. Mind you I don't know what we'd ever need a human for, especially one so small and weak."

"Well thanks for that complement," said Oliver, "believe me I'll help out in anyway I can but before we do anything I think we should learn to live with each other first. Hey where's Ba- I mean Vitani? I would've thought she'd be here."

"Wait what we're you about to say?" asked Kovu.

"Sorry sometimes my mind automatically translates stuff without me thinking, and sense most of your names translate to something in either Swahili or Latin my mind instantly jumps to the translation."

"Really so what do our names translate to?" asked Simba. "Well, Simba your name simply means lion," said Oliver, "also Nala your name means luck, Kiara your name means light, Rafiki's name means friend, Zazu yours means movement, Vitani's name means battle, Pumbaa's name means thoughtless, Timon's means courage, I know ironic, and that's pretty much it except for..."

"Except for who?" asked Kovu. "Well that'd be you-r mother, Zira, it means hate. I thought it'd be best to not mention her."

"Oh ok," said Kovu, hearing his mother made him slightly depressed. "Sorry about that Sc-Kovu, Ko-ovu, sorry slip of the tongue," Oliver said nervously. "Wait what were you about to say?" asked Kovu. "Oh didn't I say what your name meant? Well it's not important."

"No, tell me what my name means," said Kovu. "Well it means, you know," Oliver then covered his mouth and said, "scrrr."

"What did you say?" asked Kovu. "Oh you know it means," Oliver once again he covered his mouth and said, "scrrr."

"What did you say?" asked Kovu angrier this time. Oliver exhaled loudly, "Scar, ok, it means scar."