Love Beyond Reasons

A/N: Here we go, with Part Two!

Chapter 9

Meet the Outsiders

Part Two

After a few minutes, they were almost at the watering hole. Kion and Jasiri were talking again, with the former giving the latter reassurance. Both of them were unaware that they were being watched.

"Lions are pretty reasonable." He said. "Once we get to the watering hole, I'm sure we can work thin-" He was cut off when a lion jumped out of nowhere and pounced on Jasiri, making her fall flat onto her side. It was Nuka.

"We told you to stay outta here, hyena." He growled at the female hyena.

"Hey!" Kion yelled, and then he himself pounced on Nuka, pushing him a good four feet away from his friend and pinning him flat on his back. "Back off!" He growled more fiercely than Nuka's own when he attacked Jasiri.

Nuka was surprised to see this young lion cub actually pounce on him with such strength. "W-Who are you?" He asked.

"Name's Kion." The golden cub answered sternly. "Who are you?"

"Nuka!" Someone called to the older lion being pinned down. "Hey, Nuka."

It was Kovu, coming up beside the other two. He still looked pretty similar to when Kiara first met him when they were younger. He had grown a little taller, about the same height as Kion, and he was a little stronger.

"Kovu! Tell him to let me up!" Nuka begged, trying to get up. But Kion wouldn't let him.

"A friend of yours?" Kion asked the auburn cub who seemed like he was a month older than him.

Kovu just sighed. "He's my brother." He answered, making Kion's eyes slightly widened in surprise.

"That's right." Nuka said. "So you better let me up. It's two against one now."

Then Jasiri came over to side with Kion. "It's two against two." She said bitterly as Kion reluctantly let Nuka back up on his paws.

As the two duos began to circle each other, Nuka scowled. "It should be three against one." He said, glaring scornfully at Kion. "What kind of lion are you? Siding with a hyena?"

Kion growled at him again, this time a bit louder than before, making both Nuka and Kovu slightly flinch at the ferocity of it. This young cub certainly had guts.

"What are you two lions doing in the Outlands?" He asked them, turning to a more diplomatic tone. "Why aren't you in the Pride Lands?"

"Like our family's welcome there." Nuka said.

"Why wouldn't you be?" Kion continued to question. "I'm sure my dad will welcome you there."

"And who's your dad?" Nuka asked.

Jasiri laughed at his question as they all stopped circling each other. "You know, the King of the Pride Lands. Simba?"

"Simba?" Both Nuka and Kovu asked, Kovu having a wide smile on his face, while Nuka was plain surprised.

"You really think he would allow us into the Pride Lands?" Kovu asked eagerly.

"I don't see why not." Kion answered. "Especially if you give Jasiri's family their watering hole back."

"Back to the Pride Lands?" Kovu questioned giddily before looking back up at his brother with excitement. "That means I can see Kiara again."

"You know Kiara?" Kion asked him. How does this guy know his sister? And if they do know each other, why hasn't she told him about this?

"Yeah." Kovu said excitedly, before realizing that maybe he was sounding a little too eager. "Uh, it was a while ago." He then looked back at Nuka. "We gotta take him to see Mom."

"Oh, yeah." Nuka agreed, getting closer to the young golden cub. "She's gonna want to meet the son of Simba."

Kion just got closer to the older lion with a stern glare, making him back up. "The name's Kion." He corrected him.

"Okay, Kion." Nuka complied before turning to Jasiri. "Hyena. Let's go." Then both he and Kovu started to lead them down the path.

"Come on, Jasiri." Kion called to his friend. "You'll see. This whole watering hole thing's gotta be a misunderstanding." Cautiously, Jasiri followed, but staying close to Kion.

It was only a minute before Kovu backed up slightly to walk next to Kion, and Jasiri immediately inched closer to her friend. If Kion wanted to feel something strange but fluttery because of her proximity, he didn't pay it mind because the auburn cub began whispering to him.

So, you're Kion, Kiara's brother?" He asked. This was actually Kiara's younger brother, the one that she was so worried about when they had first met. Now that he was really looking at him, he could easily tell that they are siblings. He looked so much like his father, and he was pretty tough and fierce for someone his age, considering how easily he had Nuka, an adolescent much older than him, pinned down on his back.

Kion slowly nodded at him. This young lion definitely seemed nicer than his older brother. "How do you know my sister?" He asked.

"We met when we were younger, when she crossed into the Outlands." Kovu explained.

So they met when both he and Kiara went into the Outlands for the first time, back when they were little. He supposed it must've happened when they got separated right after they crossed the border. That very same day, he had met Jasiri. Kiara meeting Kovu and him meeting Jasiri. Something inside him was telling him that both encounters couldn't just be a coincidence, with them befriending someone who came from the Outlands on the same day.

"She was looking for you when she realized that you weren't with her back then." Kovu continued to whisper to him, snapping Kion out of his thoughts. "She was pretty worried."

"Kiara? Worried about me?" Kion asked. Somehow, he found that hard to believe now. "Yeah, that's a good one." He scoffed.

Kovu raised a brow. "She sounded like she really cared about you." He said.

"That was a long time ago." Kion said bitterly. "Now, she could care less about me. While she's worried about her duties and about being the perfect example for royalty, I'm worried about protecting my home, not afraid if sometimes I have to risk my life to protect the Circle of Life."

Kovu and Jasiri exchanged a brief confused glance with each other. Even though it sounds like both royal siblings do look out for each other, they are hardly ever on the same page anymore. Then, Kovu got his eyes glued on Kion's scar.

"When did you get that?" He asked, slightly gesturing to it with his head.

"When I was little." Kion answered. "It was the same day when we wandered into the Outlands for the first time. Had a run-in with some jackals."

"Maybe that's why Kiara's acting so differently." Kovu said.

Now Kion had his brow raised. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"If you got that on that very same day, maybe she thought that she could protect you by focusing more on her royal duties and not get you roped into any more dangerous situations because of her." Kovu suggested.

Kion let that sink in for a few seconds. That did sound like a good reason why she was mostly ignoring him after their little trip into the Outlands. But still, she could've explained why if she was so concerned about him. And now, it's not like he can't take care of himself, with him being the Fiercest in the Pride Lands.

Soon, they had reached the watering hole, where Zira herself was taking a drink while Vitani was resting on a nearby rock. Jasiri readied herself, narrowing her eyes at the leader of the lions who stole her family's watering hole.

"Mother! We have a visitor!" Nuka called, getting her attention.

"It's Simba's son, Kion." Kovu said.

Zira turned to face them with interest. When she saw the cub, she resisted the urge to either growl or gasp. He looked so much like his father, having his fur color and his mane, but what drew her attention was the pink scar on his face.

"Simba's son?" She asked. "Well, what an honor."

Nuka then came over to her. "He pounced on me." He said.

Zira sighed heavily at that, though she must admit, a much younger lion cub like Kion taking on an adolescent like Nuka with such ease wasn't an easy feat. "I'm sure you pounced first." She said.

"Well, yeah." Nuka admitted.

Zira came over to Kion, who had a friendly smile on his face. So his parents haven't told him about the truth of who they are. Maybe she can work with this. But the hyena was glaring at her hatefully, but she paid her no mind.

"Welcome, Kion." She greeted. "I'm Zira, and this is my daughter, Vitani."

She looked down towards the pale peach cub who came over to her side. She eyed curiously at Kion and Jasiri. "A lion and a hyena?" She asked.

"Not just any lion, dear." Zira said. "Simba's son." Then her own sons came over to stand on either side of her. "So tell me, Kion. What brings you to the Outlands?"

"I did." Jasiri said, coming up beside her friend, briefly sharing a smile with him. "We're friends."

Kovu looked at the exchange with curiosity. A lion and a hyena befriending each other? Just like how a lion from the Pride Lands made friends with an Outsider. Maybe Kion and Kiara are more alike than they think. Vitani however, just glared at Jasiri.

"Friends with royalty?" Zira exclaimed, impressed. "Gracious! I underestimated you, my dear."

Jasiri laughed. "Kion's not just royalty." She said. Honestly, she didn't care if he was the Prince of the Pride Lands. He was just a lion cub who was an old friend of hers. "He's leader of the Lion Guard."

Zira's eyes widened. "Leader of the Lion Guard?" She repeated, eyes nervously looking around. "But, the Guard isn't here."

"No, but I am." Kion said, taking a step forward. "Now, what are you doing in the Outlands? And why have you taken over Jasiri's watering hole?"

Zira was a little impressed that the young prince actually cared about this hyena friend of his. And he seemed to have the same tenacity as his father. She stepped away from the group to stand on a nearby rock. "So many questions, Kion." She said. "What I don't understand is why don't you use the Roar to give your friend the water she needs."

Kion was perplexed by her words. And he wasn't the only one. "What?"

Jasiri looked over at him. "You can do that?" She asked.

"What are you talking about?" Kovu asked his mother.

"Mom?" Vitani questioned.

Seeing that her cubs were confused, Zira gave them a little background information. "As leader of the Lion Guard, Kion possesses a special power." She explained. "The Roar of the Elders." She then looked down at the golden cub. "Isn't that right?"

"Yeah." Kion said slowly. "How do you know?"

"Oh, I know all about the Roar." Zira said, coming off of the rock, gesturing to Kion to come up beside her. Cautiously, the cub complied.

"You see that little cloud?" Zira asked him, gesturing up towards a small lone cloud up in the sky. "Try roaring at it."

"Roar at the cloud?" Kion asked.

"What's wrong, Kion?" Zira questioned him. "I thought you wanted to help your hyena friend."

"I do." Kion said, his brow raised with suspicion at the lioness beside him. "I just don't see how roaring at a cloud is gonna do that."

"Kion?" He looked over at Jasiri, who had a pleading look in her eyes. His heart twisted in a tight way when he saw that.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try." Kion said.

Zira nodded, and then moved away, a little evil grin on her face.

Kion focused on the cloud and then roared loudly at it. Everyone was amazed by the power of it. The Roar channeled itself into the cloud, making it bigger and darker. Then, lightning appeared and a torrent of rain appeared.

"Whoa!" Kion exclaimed quietly at what he had just done. Large puddles appeared all over, and then, the rain had stopped completely.

Jasiri came up to him. "Kion, did you know you can do that?" She asked.

"No, I didn't." He answered her. Then he turned to Zira. "Zira, how did you know that the Roar could do that?"

Zira smirked. "Oh, I'd love to tell you." She said, but then she glared at Jasiri. "But I feel uncomfortable discussing the Roar, in front of a hyena."

Kion glared at the adult lioness, downgrading his friend. Zira raised a curious brow, though a smile was on her face. He must actually care about this hyena.

Jasiri was also narrowing her eyes at her. "Don't mind me." She said. She had a really bad feeling that once she got Kion alone, she would try to hurt him. Well, she's not going to let him out of her sight. "I just want my watering hole back."

Zira ignored her and focused on Kion. "Perhaps we can go somewhere more private." She said. "And talk. Lion to lion."

She then walked away from the suspicious duo. Jasiri turned towards her friend. "I don't trust her, Kion." She said.

"I know." He said. "But she knows more about the Roar than I do. Besides, maybe I can get her to agree to share the watering hole."

The two just stared at each other. Kion could tell that Jasiri was worried, but if he ever needed help, he knew that he can count on her.

Finally, Jasiri sighed, knowing that she lost this round. "I hope you're right." She said.

Kion nodded at her, and then looked back to where Zira was. "Okay, Zira." He said. "Let's talk."

"Wonderful." Zira said, and then she turned to her family. "Children, I'll be back soon." Then, she and Kion went off into a narrow pass. Jasiri watched them leave, worry etched on her face. She really hoped he knew what he was doing.

Nuka growled at Jasiri. "Play nice, Nuka!" Zira called after her oldest son. Nuka groaned at his lost chance to get rid of the female hyena. He never liked her, and it doesn't help that she's not like the other hyenas; that she's pretty much fearless.

Then, Jasiri made a false move of suddenly turning the tables on him by growling. Nuka yelped and jumped behind his younger siblings. Vitani just gave him a dry glare, while Kovu looked at him like he was weird.

Jasiri chuckled. "That's right, Nuka." She said to the cowardly teenage lion. "Let's play nice."

A/N: Part Three is on its way. Hang on, everyone.