Over the next three weeks, my wounds pretty much healed.

My burns were gone thanks to the obnoxious amount of aloe that Sarabi kept bringing me. It was her way of thanking me for our conversation.

Of course, I had to tell her to stop before she tore up the entire supply of aloe in the savanna.

She did stop.

Eventually.

After I reminded her I might need more in the future.

My entire body had suffered from the lack of exercise, despite the trips with Simba. He had offered to help me get back into shape.

"Come on James, you can go faster than that!" Simba said as he loped behind me.

"If you lay a claw on me, I'm going to smack you!" I gasped. He had threatened to use his claws if I stopped too soon.

I was regretting agreeing to this already.

We stopped at the water hole and I dropped to my knees, refilling my water bottle and chugging it for a second before allowing myself to fall onto my back. My lungs and diaphragm felt like they were trying to kill me as I panted in the hot, dry air. Simba drank for a few minutes longer, not able to take in as much as quickly.

I felt Leone nudge me, itching to run free himself. We had a mental battle that lasted long enough for Simba to lay down before I sighed.

"Hey, Simba?"

"Yes?" He wasn't breathing nearly as heavy as I was.

"There's…" I pushed a breath out through my nose as I tried to find a way to break the news to the young king. "Did Nala ever say what happened the day before you found me?" His brow furrowed in thought. It happened a while ago and he honestly hadn't thought about it much since.

"She said the hyenas had Kiara and she was able to catch up. When she fought off the first one, the others were already unconscious."

"Did she see why?" He thought about it before perking up.

"I think she said something about a small creature that ran back to you while you were in the tree." He looked at me, his gaze searching. "But, I haven't seen it."

"Well, that's not entirely untrue." His eyes widened.

"You've had someone with you this whole time? Why didn't you tell us? Why haven't we seen them?"

"Because it's complicated. Like, beyond a two second introduction kind of complicated. Truthfully if I never had to bring it up, I wouldn't have." He folded one paw over the other.

"I'm listening." I mentally smacked Leone for forcing me into this corner.

"A long time ago, even further than your ancestors would know about, a star fell from the sky." His brow furrowed.

"A fallen king?" I shook my head. The kings of time's past had been explained to me. Considering I had met one of said kings personally, I had pretty good reason to believe it.

"This one was different." I explained how the star eventually became two objects. Good and evil people twisted these objects to become two separate Beyblades (explaining tops at the same time). Keeping it as short as possible because I could feel Leone growing agitated, I explained how every Bey came from those two.

I reached down to my belt and pulled out Leone.

"This is my own Beyblade. Its name is Phantom Leone."

"It's, smaller than I expected," Simba noted, leaning forward to inspect it. The Face Bolt gleamed and I smacked Leone again.

'Quit it!' I chastised.

"So this is what knocked out the hyenas," He said, sniffing it. He sounded doubtful. Understandably.

"Yeah. A few hyena weren't an issue for us."

"You talk like it's a creature, but it doesn't look or smell alive."

"It's kind of both?" I offered. He shot me a scandalous look.

"How can it be alive, but not?"

"It gains power as it spins." I stood up and pulled out my launcher. Leone all but shook with excitement. "No scaring the locals."

"Why would I-?"

"Let It Rip!" I launched, and Leone hit the ground running. He zipped around at high speeds, feeling the wind around his Fusion Wheel and the ground beneath his Performance Tip. Simba scrambled to his feet and watched a trail of dust zoom through the grass in seemingly random patterns.

"I-it's so fast!"

"He's not even at full speed," I noted, more to myself. My launch was weaker than I had thought.

"How is that possible?!" Simba was about to panic and I held up my hands.

"Whoa, it's okay." Leone dashed back around and stopped at my feet. "He's not going to hurt you."

"James, what's going on?!" His eyes were wide and his tail was whipping through the air. I knelt down so I was eye level with him.

"Simba, look at me." His eyes didn't want to leave the Bey, but I urged him to look up. "He won't hurt you. I know it's strange, but there is no need to panic." He took a few seconds before shaking his head.

"Not even a cheetah could move like that! It turned without even slowing down."

"That's Leone for you. Now, do you want to meet him?"

"Meet him?" I gestured to the Bey at my side, hovering a hand over it.

"This is Leone's Beyblade. His spirit is inside."

"Inside?" Leone sparked before I could stop him. A purple flame shot into the air.

"Fire!" Simba roared and nearly tripped in his panicked scramble to get away.

I was going to have a headache by the day's end.

The purple flames grew till they were above my height, then extinguished, leaving behind a forest green lion, who's shoulders sat head height with me.

"Simba, meet Leone." I whacked Leone on the shoulder. "Idiot." Leone chuffed before shoving my shoulder.

"J-James?!" I looked over to Simba and sighed. While not being quite as intimidating as Mufasa, Simba was still a powerful lion. To see him cowering in fear made me step between them. I raised both of my hands as I slowly approached him.

"Simba," I spoke in a calm tone. His claws dug into the dirt. "He's a friend. He won't hurt you. I promise." His eyes snapped to me and he leaned back a little.

"Ho-whe-?!" He couldn't get a solid word out. I continued to approach him slowly, reaching out to him. When he didn't back away any further, I placed a hand on his head. I waited as his breathing gradually slowed. He gulped before looking at me.

"James, what is that?" He asked shakily.

"He's my friend." When I looked over my shoulder, Leone had sat down right where he appeared. He was simply waiting.

"W-where did he come from?"

"I told you, inside of the Bey."

"How does a lion that big fit in something that small?!" He looked appalled at the idea.

"Because he's not a real lion." I heard the lion equivalent of a scoff. "He's the spirit of one," I added while shooting a glare over my shoulder.

"How is that possible?"

"I told you about the fallen star. Its power is in each Bey. That power manifests as Bey spirits." He looked at me with his brow furrowed. While he wasn't panicking as much, he was still scared out of his wits.

"Come on, I'll introduce you." I turned and took a few steps toward Leone, but Simba didn't move. "Simba?" We both jumped when a roar came from behind him.

A heavy form plowed into me, pinning me to the ground. Claws dug into my right shoulder enough to draw blood. I cried out in pain.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted! You brou-!" A whip of wind smacked into the weight threatening to crush my lungs, knocking it off of me. Leone stepped forward, his front right paw acting as a barrier between Zira and I. I clambered to my feet, my hand on Leone's flank. Zira roared in anger and began stalking back and forth.

"I knew you would bring harm to our pride!" She spat before leaping at us. Leone smacked her away with the back of his paw. She scrambled to her feet before whirling to face Simba.

"Don't just stand there! Attack them! Cast him out before they destroy these lands!" In a moment of clarity, Simba frowned and straightened up.

"Did you forget who is king?" Zira flinched as if slapped, though she didn't back down.

"They are a threat that must be dealt with!" They began to argue back and forth. I patted Leone's shoulder.

"Thanks bud. Ow." I glanced at my own shoulder and winced at the blood seeping into my shirt. I pulled the sleeve up, looking at the four wounds.

Leone reached over and licked the wounds. Each of the four spots ignited with purple fire before the bleeding stopped. Light bleeding was nothing to him. More serious wounds, however…he wasn't all powerful. Not to mention that energy could still harm me if applied for too long, it was an imitation of fire for a reason.

"Man, I liked this shirt…" I muttered as I looked at the holes. Leone huffed and I shot him a look.

"You knew she was there, didn't you?" His silence was telling. "You jerk." I shoved his nose away before focusing on the two actual lions. They had only grown more agitated as they argued. I glanced at Leone.

"You mind getting their attention?" He sucked in a breath and let out a roar that shook the lands. I twisted my pinky in my ear once or twice, regretting not covering them.

"Thanks." I looked to the two lions, who had both cowed under the intense sound. "Are you two done?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Do something!" Zira roared at Simba. He looked at all three of us, torn between protecting his pride and doing something that might be rash.

"Simba," I said, drawing his eyes to me, "If I was going to hurt you, I would have done so already. Leone listens to me. We agree that this pride is in danger, but it is not from us."

"How can you stand there and listen to this man?!"

"Enough," Simba said firmly. He looked unsure as he turned to me. "James, can, he…?" I nodded. Leone disappeared in a flash of purple fire and the Bey leaped into my open hand. Zira flipped out.

"Whe-where did he go?!"

"I've already explained it to Simba," I spat. She snarled and my right hand twitched towards my belt.

"You would challenge me?! I was Scar's chosen mate, queen of the Pridelands!" She stalked back and forth. My eyes didn't leave her for a second.

"I have told you before and I will continue to say it. I am not a threat to this pride!" The second sentence was ground out through clenched teeth. "I'm not here to challenge anyone except those who threaten this place."

"I don't believe you!"

"Simba!" Nala came running through the grass.

"Oh great…" I groaned. Leone felt indifferent in the back of my mind.

"Simba, what's going on? We heard a loud roar and-Zira?" Nala stopped when she saw the angry lioness. I ran my hand over my face, trying not to scream in frustration. It was complication after complication. Nala's eyes followed Zira's gaze to me.

"James? What's going on?" Lolling my head back, I groaned aloud.

"Simba, I think it would be best if I explained everything to the entire pride." He nodded.

"Yeah. That sounds like a plan."

"I can't believe you're even considering letting that, that thing near Pride Rock any longer!"

'Mufasa, I'm going to kill you…again!'