Fair warning...Get ready for the hurt...
Zira had vanished upon getting back, but I really couldn't find the energy to care. Simba had gathered the pride at the base of Pride Rock. While still looking shaken, did his best to stand tall.
"James has something to explain to us. And…to introduce us to someone." Whispers broke out and I did my best not to grimace.
"Nala," I turned to her, "What did you tell everyone when Kiara was taken by the hyenas?" Her head raised up and looked across the pride.
"Not much. They know you helped, but I…couldn't explain how." I nodded before holding up Leone.
"This is how I stopped those hyena from taking Kiara. This is Phantom Leone, a Beyblade." I went on to explain as I had to Simba. Afterwards, I answered any questions as best I could. There were a lot.
Finally, I pulled out my launcher and loaded up. Turning to my right where there were no lions, I slid into my stance instinctively.
"Let It Rip!" Leone landed in front of me and moved around in a small circle. A few of the lionesses backed off nervously. "It's okay, no one here is in danger. You're about to see a flame, but I promise it won't spread." A purple flame slowly poured from the Face Bolt, reaching to the sky before Leone himself formed and the flames dispersed. I placed a hand on his shoulder.
Roars of disbelief came from the pride. I let them get it out of their systems for a minute before I patted Leone on the shoulder. Just like with Zira and Simba, he let out a roar. Silence followed the echo off of Pride Rock.
"As I said," Pausing to look everyone over, I made sure I had their undivided attention. It really wasn't necessary. "This, is Leone." Said being sat down, curling his tail around his paws. He looked over each lion with calm eyes, unbothered by their stares. Simba stepped closer to us, though still kept some distance.
"James, why can't we understand him? He is a lion, isn't he?" I frowned in thought.
"That is strange." I glanced at Leone. "He's right, you would think they would be able to understand you." Leone gave me his version of a shrug. Nala stepped up next to Simba.
"So, he is how you saved Kiara?" She asked. I nodded.
"Yes."
"Amazing, he's taller than you!" Leone preened under the attention. I gave a playful frown.
"With an ego to match." I ducked under a paw swipe. "But he wasn't always this big. When I first got him, he was closer to your size."
"Why is he green?"
"That's just the way he is." I shrugged. "Every Bey spirit can have a different color. I know of two zebra like Bey spirits, called Pegasus and Striker, who are light blue and green, respectively."
"So, why are you so nervous about those other humans? With a lion this big, they shouldn't be an issue," Another lioness asked. I frowned.
"Because, as powerful as Leone is, I'm still mortal. If a single poacher catches me unawares, I'm dead. And there could be close to twenty of them." She nodded in understanding.
"So why don't we find these guys," Came a smaller, but just as loud voice, "And kick 'em outta our Pridelands?!" Timon and Pumbaa walked up, only to see Leone, freak out, and take off screaming. Simba went to calm them down with a sigh. I shook my head.
"To answer his question, they aren't close by. At least not close enough to be a threat right now. Mufasa said it would be a few seasons before they showed." I explained to the entire pride. "And again, trying to take them head on would be suicide."
"So what do we do?" Another lioness asked.
"I'm sorry. I don't know." I shook my head again.
"But, Mufasa chose you."
"That doesn't mean I know what I'm doing," I rebutted.
"He didn't give you any information?" Another lioness asked.
"Not beyond what I've already told you."
"Then why did he pick you?!" I closed my eyes as Zira called from above, standing on the lower portion of Pride Rock. "If you're supposed to be our so called savior, you should know what you are doing!"
"I'm not all knowing," I ground out through my teeth.
"HA! Man is feared, but they are nothing more than the zebra who run from us!" She hissed. I whirled around, Leone copying me to pierce her with a glare.
"I don't know why he chose me!" I shouted. She blinked in surprise. I could feel the pride looking on with matching expressions. Frustration finally boiled over. My eyes flashed with anger. "I thought the same! Maybe he chose the first human that came along? So what if he did?!"
"Then we're all dead because Mufasa chose a coward!" She hissed.
"Right now, I'm this pride's best chance at survival. I might not know what I'm doing but I'm not going to walk away, especially now that I have friends here." The savanna was silent as Leone and I stared her down, Bey and Blader, with a similar ferocity as when we were facing Rago. She grew nervous as we began to glow with a purple fire. "I'm scared out of my wits, but don't think for a second that makes me a coward!" I stabbed a finger up at her. Leone let out a snarl to back me up.
"James!" Simba had come back, his hard look made me sigh. The energy faded and Leone sat down again.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
"You were just on fire!" Nala sniffed the air. Her face twisted in confusion. "You don't smell like smoke?"
"Because it wasn't real fire. It's the power of our connection." Leone crouched down so he was eye level with her and groaned in greeting. She smiled.
"For such a big lion, he doesn't seem that bad."
"That's because he's calm," I laughed softly. Leone shoved me with his shoulder and I wrapped my arm over him. Nala smiled.
"You two are really close friends."
"We've been through a lot over the years. It's been, oh…probably, six years since we first met? It's been a wild ride." I turned to the rest of the pride. Some had backed off in fear while others had frozen. Sarabi approached me and nudged my side before turning to the pride.
"If James wanted to hurt any of us, he had ample opportunities. After his skin was burned, I stayed next to him as he healed. An old lioness like me was an open weakness that he could have used. But he didn't." A few of the pride members relaxed. Every one of them trusted Sarabi. If she was vouching for me, that settled a foundation of trust.
Leone stepped up to Sarabi, who still eyed him with the wariness of a stranger. He gently bunted her with his forehead. Then he turned to Simba and bowed low with a front paw curled off the ground. Simba observed Leone for a minute before stepping forward and tapping his forehead with his nose. Leone stood up and nodded to Simba, who returned it.
The king turned to his pride, looking tiny compared to the phantom lion, and called out.
"Zazu!" I raised an eyebrow at that. The blue bird flew in and landed as close as he dared.
"Yes, sire?"
"Call a gathering for three days time."
««{{}}»»
The gathering, as explained by Nala later on, was as literal as it could get. Every creature in the Pridelands would join in a meeting at Pride Rock. She said it was used to introduce the king's and queen's heir to the lands. Apparently, I looked a little scared at that because she started laughing.
"Geez, Nala, you can't do that to me!" I said as I had my hand on my chest, a little low on air.
"What's wrong?" She asked with a teasing smile. I pointed a finger at her.
"You did it on purpose!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"That's it!" I jumped at her, knocking her onto her side. While I wrestled with Leone occasionally, I learned immediately that Nala liked to fight dirty. She cuffed me over the head and sent me sprawling onto the rock. Then her front legs planted firmly on my chest.
"You'll have to do better than that, James."
"Yeah, noted-! Get off-!" I wheezed. I pulled my knees up to my chest between her legs, and twisted to the side. My knees caught her left leg and pushed it enough that she had to step off of me in order to stay standing. A well practiced second twist got me out from under her and to my feet.
"Ha! Not pinned-!" I froze at the predatory look in her eyes.
"Not even Simba's managed to do that. You fight well."
"Well, you know, when you've got a friend that weighs almost a ton, you learn how to fight…" I took a few steps back while beginning to sweat.
"You won't do it again." I let out a yelp as I ducked her flying form.
"Watch it! I'm fragile compared to you!" We ran around Pride Rock, only my nimbleness keeping her off of me. She still caught me in the end.
"Okay, you win," I panted as a single paw pinned me down.
"Of course I do. I'm the best hunter in the pride." She allowed me up and we walked to the water hole. After we drank our fill, we relaxed under the shade of a nearby tree. Casual conversation helped fill the rest of the day.
My mind began to wander around to my situation again as the sun began to set. I pulled Leone out and held it in front of me.
"What am I going to do?" I asked myself aloud. Nala, who's head rested on her paws, looked at me. She was quiet for a moment before speaking.
"The last thing you should do is worry yourself to death."
"Then what's the first thing?"
"I don't have that answer, as much as I wish I did." She sighed, "You, and man in general, are new to me. To all of us. I can't imagine what they are capable of. I'm afraid I'm just as clueless as you."
"I guessed as much." It was a strange and frankly scary situation for everyone. We were dealing with it in our own ways, but there was only so much coping one could do. "I just…I hate feeling like I'm doing nothing."
"Don't forget, it should be a few seasons until they arrive."
"That doesn't make me feel better, even if it should."
"Why not?"
"It's only going to bring more tension into the pride. Zira hates my guts and I'm pretty sure she's spreading rumors about me. It's not like most of you believe her, but it could become a problem if enough do."
"I don't think anyone but Zira will actively try anything. She still blames Simba for Scar's death and will use every chance she gets to get back at him." She slowed to a stop. Her head dipped, though I didn't miss the sadness in her eyes. She went to speak a few times but couldn't get the words out. Each attempt looked more painful than the last. My brow furrowed and I placed a hand on her neck.
"…You don't have to tell me," I murmured. It wasn't my business. She sniffed and shook her head, gathering herself for a moment.
"Kiara wasn't our first cub. We had one other. Kopa." (A/N: I don't care if he's non-canon. Shush, I'm doing a thing) I wrapped my arm over her back. "Zira's claws were all over what happened. We just, couldn't prove it." Leone and I both tensed. My eyes glazed over as I stared a thousand miles off.
"She killed him?"
"It looked like a hyena attack, but the bite mark on his throat…"
"…It was a lion's, wasn't it?" A single heartbeat beat in my ears.
"There was no way to prove it was her, but the way she smiled when the pride was informed, I just know it was!" She growled around her tears. "I was so angry, but Simba couldn't do anything!" I hugged her tighter. Her tears soaked my shirt as her head rested on my shoulder.
Leone snarled. Hearing of a traitors muderer amongst his recently claimed pride made him furious. I couldn't help but agree.
I held Nala until I heard someone approach. Simba came over the hill and stopped. I gestured to Nala with a nod of my head. Simba's frown deepened and he trotted over.
"Nala…?" She threw herself at him upon hearing his voice, burying her face into his mane. His surprise only lasted for a second before he began consoling her as she blubbered about their deceased son. I turned to watch the water.
'So. How do we do this?' I thought. Leone sent me a rather grotesque image of Zira's head.
Just the head.
'No. Simba would be forced to kick us out, or worse.' The defensive growl I got in return made me sigh. 'Believe me, I have little doubt she did it. But that doesn't mean we can just act. I thought I taught you better than that? If she ever does anything, I'm giving you the opening. But only if she actually does something.' Leone grumbled again but settled down for the most part. I looked over at Simba when I felt eyes on me. His brow pinched in concern when our gazes met.
I looked down at myself. There was a faint purple light clinging to my form. I jumped at the sight before taking a deep breath and recentering myself. The light faded and I grunted, rolling my shoulder.
"James?" Simba prompted.
"Sorry, Leone and I are…conflicted right now," I said softly, trying not to draw Nala's attention. He nodded before turning back to Nala and whispering in her ear. She nodded after a moment before standing up. She stumbled, but Simba and I were right there to catch her.
"Thank you…both of you." She looked between us. Her cheek fur was still wet with tears.
"Come on, let's get you back to the den." Simba nudged her shoulder. Her steps were heavy. Her head hung low. Her tail dragged on the ground. I watched as they slowly made their way back to Pride Rock. My heart clenched, seeing two of my recently made friends grieve for their lost child.
I stared until they walked out of sight.
...
...
"Yeah. I've heard enough." I turned and walked further into the savanna.
Evening slowly closed, the sun bowed below the earth to welcome the night. Stars twinkled silently above.
In the distance, close to the horizon, the night was overtaken by a large pillar of purple light.
Leone's Spirit, reaching a height of dozens of feet, reared back and shook the air with his roar.
So yes, I'm bringing Kopa into this. Past tense Kopa, that is. You'll find out why very soon...
~Silverleone