"What exactly are we doing?" Clone Simba asked, still staring angrily at the identical versions of themselves across the waterhole.

"We're intimidating them," Clone Haiba stated. "That way they'll be so scared of us that they'll surrender instantly. It's the most perfect plan ever."

"Ever, ever," added Clone Simba.

"Oh, don't start that again," Clone Nala said with a roll of her eyes. "I've had just about enough of you." She rubbed one of the multitude of cuts Clone Simba had inflicted across her body earlier. The things she suffered for love...

"I don't think it's working," Clone Simba muttered. "They just seem to be kind of... staring back at us. It's not like they're... trembling in fear or anything. Where are the tears of unfathomable sadness?"

"Okay, so maybe they're just confused right now," Clone Haiba agreed, "but just how are we supposed to swoop in and take them without anyone else noticing?"

"I don't think anyone else would notice whatever happens," Clone Nala replied. "Just look at all those cubs."

The three clones looked at the cubs a few feet away from where they were stood. They all still looked bored out of their minds, and let out another heavy sigh in unison.

"Okay, good point," Clone Haiba said. "So maybe we can just grab them. No one will ever know..."

"And then we can go back to our normal lives," said Clone Nala happily. "No posers will ever dare mess with us ever again!"

"Ever, ever!" exclaimed Clone Simba with a grin.

Clone Nala picked up a rock and bashed Clone Simba over the top of his head. He collapsed onto his back with a dopey smile. "That'll have him seeing stars for a while," she said, satisfied. "Now, how are we going to do this?"

"They're us," Nala said, shocked at the sight of herself across the waterhole. "I mean, like, clones! How the heck does that work?"

"I think I've been staying out in the sun too long," Simba said, rubbing the side of his head with a paw. "I'm starting to see things that aren't really there."

"It's not too hard to believe," Haiba said. "After all, we've seen weirder things."

"Oh, yeah?" challenged Nala. "Like what?"

"Stuff like... Oh, I don't know!" Haiba cried. "I just know—okay?"

"But... how?" Nala asked, staring at the clones with confusion. "I don't get it. Who did this?"

"I'll give you three guesses," Simba said.

"Betcha it's either Shocker, the Interceptor or Froggy," Nala replied. "They're just very persistent."

"This is terrib le!" Zazu cried, panic filling his eyes. "Oh, why do so many horrible things have to happen in this kingdom! It's simply dreadful! I never ever should have been born here in the first place!"

"Stop worrying, Zazu," Simba said, trying to calm him down. "We can fix it. Haiba, what do you know about clones?"

"Um... they look the same as us?" Haiba suggested with a shrug. "Other than that, nothing. It's not something that really happens all that often."

"Great," Simba groaned. "So we have yet another problem on our paws which we have to solve. Okay, so we're going to have to go right up to them, and—"

Simba turned around, only to find that Nala had disappeared. "Nala? Nala?" He took a few steps forward, gaping at where she had once stood. "Where did she go?" Craning his neck, he saw that the clones had disappeared from the opposite side of the waterhole.

Haiba shared Simba's astonished look. "They must have taken here," he concluded. "They're very sneaky—which is to be expected, since they're clones of us."

"Oh, come on," Simba complained. "How are you supposed to fight a clone? It's like trying to hurt your reflection—it doesn't work."

"Of course you can fight your own clone," Haiba said. "You just have to apply your own weaknesses."

"And who made you the expert?" Simba asked.

"At least I'm thinking," he replied. "It's not like panicking is going to help us much."

"Actually, I was hoping that 'panic' might be a viable option," said Zazu, meekly raising a wing with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"We're going to do this the brave way," Simba proclaimed. "We fight the clones and rescue Nala. Haiba, are you with me?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he responded.

"Zazu, how about you?" Simba asked.

"I beg your pardon? You expect me—a defenceless Hornbill—to mount a defence against identical clones? You must be insane!"

"Well, I am," Haiba said, "but I don't know about Simba..."

"Enough of this nonsense!" Zazu yelled, with an anger that surprised the two. "Now, I suggest that we report this to King Mufasa and—"

"No, we can't," Simba interrupted, shaking his head. "My dad has gone cuckoo. He'd probably team up with the clones against us or something. We have to do this ourselves."

"But I have very important things to do!" Zazu protested.

"Do I have to send you to those monkeys again?" Simba asked with a sly smile. "You know what happened after you messed up that law about the Royal Challenge..."

"Fine, fine! I'll do it!" Zazu gave in. "Curse your sinister blackmail..."

"It's not blackmail," Simba told him. "I'm just threatening to send you to the monkeys unless you do as I say."

"That's blackmail," Zazu said. "I don't know where you get your threatening personality from, but you'd better know that I do not approve of it. Not at all."

"You don't really approve of anything, huh, Zazu?" asked Haiba. "I mean, first you get yourself fired—"

"That was the King's fault!" Zazu argued. "In my opinion, I should be allowed back at my original post with extra privileges for compensation."

Haiba stared at him. "I did not understand a word you just said."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Zazu shot back. "Only intelligent animals can understand my dialect."

"Are you commenting on how stupid I am?" Haiba asked in a challenging tone.

"No—I'm telling you how stupid you are," Zazu retorted. "Are you happy now, you rambunctious nitwit?"

"I think we should all calm down," Simba advised. "Fighting isn't going to solve the problem."

"Then I suggest that you lead the way, young master," Zazu said. "Where should we go to find these unusual beings?"

"We'll work our way around the edge of the kingdom," Simba said. "They can't have gotten further than that. If they have, then I guess we should check the jungle next."

"I hope nothing's happened to her," Zazu said with a sigh. "I'd hate it if I were held accountable for her death..."

"Oh... what happened?" Nala moaned, rubbing her sore head. One second she was with Simba and Haiba, and the next, she had woken up in an unfamiliar location.

Looking around, she found herself lying in a rocky area dotted with shrubs and weeds. It had to be somewhere on the outskirts of the Pride Lands, she concluded. "What a weird day I'm having..."

"It's going to get worse," threatened a familiar voice.

"Huh?" With wide eyes, Nala looked to the side, and stared at... herself. "What is going on?"

"Don't toy with me," said the clone Nala. "You know what you're doing."

"I'm curious. What am I doing?" Nala asked, staring at the clone of herself with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Being an imposter, that's what," replied Clone Nala. "I'm the future Queen of the Pride Lands around here. Not you. Is that clear?"

"Not really," Nala replied.

Nala gasped when her clone slapped her across the face. "Don't talk b ack to me!" she raged, with an anger that could shake the ground. "I am the Queen!"

Tasting blood in her mouth, Nala coughed a little. Already she realised that her clone wasn't exactly the nicest of characters. "Look, what do you want?"

"I want my life back!" Clone Nala snapped. "You've taken everything from me! Or at least you've tried to."

"What are you...?" At first Nala didn't understand, but then she realised. Of course. These were clones, right down to the very last detail. The clone truly believed that she was the real Nala. Both of them were practically the same—save for a slightly meaner personality.

"Still denying your crimes?" Clone Nala asked. She chuckled. "I thought as much. Come on, then..." She began to drag Nala away. "I'm going to teach you a lesson that you won't forget."

Nala gulped nervously. She didn't like the sound of that...