Simba the Eagle, formerly the lion cub, was flying towards his home, Pride Rock. In his talons, he clutched the magic wand he stole from James the former Duck, who was now stuck as a kangaroo and couldn?t turn back without it. He soon saw the rock on the horizon. Simba sighed. Before, he had really wanted to transform into another animal, but now he quite regretted it. His father, Mufasa, got mad enough when he went to the Elephant Graveyard with Nala. Imagine how angry he would be to find out that his son was no longer a lion, thus losing his inheritance of the throne? As Simba flew over the cliff, he spotted Mufasa talking to Zazu. It looked to be important, so Simba especially didn?t want to disturb him with the bad news. Luckily, he was high up enough so Mufasa didn?t recognize the eagle as his transformed son. Nervous to land, he circled Pride Rock a few times. Then, an idea flew into his head. ``Wait, I have James? wand! I could just turn myself back into a lion, and then see dad! He?ll never know," thought Simba. He flew away to find a secluded place where no one would find him.
Meanwhile, Zazu and Mufasa were just finishing their conversation, when Zazu noticed the eagle flying overhead. ``Sorry to cut it short, Your Highness, but that eagle up there looks quite unfamiliar. I?d better go talk with him to make sure he comes in peace," he said.
Mufasa chuckled. ``Alright, then. I?ll leave you to do your bird business."
When Mufasa wasn?t looking, Zazu rolled his eyes at such a dismissive remark and took off to follow the eagle.
Simba soon flew a little ways from Pride Rock, but not too far. He found a patch of tall grass, tall enough to hide both his eagle and lion cub forms. Mufasa wouldn?t see him here anyway since it was far enough from pride rock, but Simba would rather be safe than sorry. He found a little bare patch. ``A perfect hiding place!" he thought and circled down into it. Simba was alone, or so he thought. He heard something land behind him, followed by a familiar voice.
``Hello, and welcome to the Pride Lands! As a fellow bird, I would like to know who you are so we could become accustomed!" Simba immediately turned around, and to his shock and disappointment, there was Zazu.
``Zazu! What are you doing here?" Simba snapped.
``Oh, it?s you, Simba! I see the Wizard successfully transformed you!" Zazu was trying to keep himself from laughing. ``And a wonderful choice you picked for your new species, I might add! But I don?t think your father will be too happy when he hears the news," said Zazu.
``Look, Zazu. The reason I?m here is that I want to turn myself back into a lion, so my dad won?t get mad," Simba sighed.
``Well, you should have listened to me! I told you that you were born a lion, and a lion you should stay!" Zazu quipped. ``Now, if you?ll excuse me, I?ll go get your fath-" he was stopped by Simba?s wing grabbing his leg.
``Zazu, please don?t tell my dad! He?s gonna be so angry! Please!" Simba wailed. Zazu was slightly annoyed at the new eagle?s whining, but out of compassion, he decided to give in. After all, Zazu had witnessed the wrath of Mufasa firsthand, and it wasn?t a pleasant experience.
``All right, all right! I won?t tell King Mufasa! But you?d better not go out transforming yourself again!" Zazu groaned as he shook his leg free of Simba?s grip.
``Thank you!" said Simba, relieved.
``Now, how on Earth are you supposed to operate that wand?" said Zazu.
``Well, it was pretty simple. You just point it at yourself, and it?ll turn you into something!" said Simba.
``That?s good. Do you know how to do specific transformations?" Zazu asked.
``Well, James the Duck did. Whenever I use it, it?ll transform things into whatever," replied Simba. Zazu sighed.
``Look, Simba, I really hope you know what you?re doing with this. We don?t have all day, and your father will be worried and get even angrier if you?re not back by the end of the day," he said.
``Relax, Zazu! I?ve got this," said Simba, and he pointed the wand at his face. As the wand began to sparkle, he smugly grinned and shut his eyes. The wand shot his face, and Simba felt his beak grow a wet nose and form into a square shape, as sharp teeth returned to his mouth. The feathers became fur and went all over his head, including his beak-turned-muzzle. Ears came out of his head. He knew he was a lion again - or so he thought.
``See, bananabeak? I told you I could turn back!" said Simba, but when Zazu burst out laughing instead of correcting him to Mr. Bananabeak, he knew something was wrong. ``What?s so funny?"
``Oh, Simba, you have the right head, but just look at your body! You look like some kind of reversed gryphon!" Zazu guffawed. Simba looked over himself. Sure enough, he had kept his eagle body! Zazu continued. ``You look like a crazy Christmas turkey! Imagine becoming king of the beasts like that!" Zazu was now on his back laughing hysterically. ``On the bright side, King Mufasa will be too busy laughing at you to get angry, because you really do look quite ridiculous!"
``Okay, I get the point. I look ridiculous with only a lion head," said Simba. ``I was only warming up. Now I?m gonna transform the rest of my body. Observe!" Simba pointed the wand at himself, this time at a distance far enough to get his whole body, not just his head. The wand soon lit up and shot another magical beam at Simba. When the transformation was finished, he knew he was finally a mammal again. Simba rejoiced, but then he noticed a strange feeling that he had two claws on his front and back paws instead of five. When he looked down his leg, he saw that he didn?t have paws at all, but hooves! Then, he noticed he was feeling something strange but familiar hanging from his underside. He looked under, and noticed a large utter! He mooed in horror. ``This stupid thing again?" he said.
``I think you?ve turned yourself into a cow!" Zazu said.
``Thanks, Mr. Obvious," Simba replied sarcastically. He began to try picking up the wand. He wanted to turn into something else as soon as possible! But his hooves made it hard work. ``Gaaah! Why are the worst forms so hard to change out of?" groaned Simba. Eventually, he got the wand wedged between his two right hooves, lifted his leg up, and the wand lit up. It zapped Simba, and he began to morph. His tail fur grew long and thick, and two stripes appeared down his back onto the tail. His hair began to get longer, too, and his ears became shorter. Simba had become a skunk! ``Am I a lion now, Zazu?"
``Well, not really. I think you?re a skunk," Zazu replied. Simba was at least happy that he wasn?t a cow.
``Hey, this isn?t that bad! I have paws at least! Why, I even have sharp teeth again! Man, I could stay like this forever if it didn?t remove me from the line of succession!" Simba then smelled his armpit, and a disgusted and disappointed look appeared on his face. ``Eugh! I smell terrible! Give me that wand! I need to become something else before dad smells me," he said. Simba grabbed the wand again and pointed it at himself. Once again, it lit up and zapped Simba.
Simba felt himself grow very large. His claws became very long and sharp, but his tail shrank until it was a little ball. His teeth got even sharper. When the transformation was complete, Simba was towering over a very intimidated looking Zazu.
``Zazu, what did I turn into? I?m not ugly, am I?" Simba said.
``Well, ugly isn?t the right word. You?re definitely rather intimidating, though!"
Simba looked at his reflection in a nearby puddle.
``I?m a bear? Alright! Cool!" he exclaimed. He went over and picked up a large rock with one hand. He then threw it several meters. ``Wow, I?m super strong!" he said.
``Now, now, Simba, don?t get too excited. You?re not a lion yet, and this would technically remove you from succession!" Zazu reminded.
``Are you kidding? I could easily beat dad in a fight like this! I could start my own kingdom!" said Simba. He then walked over to a large Acacia tree and took one swipe. The whole thing came crashing down.
``Simba, this will never do! That tree has been here since my grandfather was the majordomo to your great grandfather!" Zazu scolded.
``Fine, if I have to be a lion, why don?t you take a crack at turning me back? You?d better hurry, or else I?ll have fried hornbill for dinner!" said Simba.
``Very well, Fuzzy! You know, I have dabbled in magic before. Rafiki did teach me a thing or two back in the day," Zazu said. He swooped over to Simba and grabbed the wand out of his paw.
``Hey!" yelled Simba. Zazu pointed the wand at Simba, and it again lit up. He shrank a little bit, and his two small round ears grew into big pointy ears. His muzzle grew long, and his teeth morphed until they were no longer fangs, but still sharp. He felt his tiny tail become very long, and his short, fat paws became long and narrow. He also felt a pouch form on his stomach. ``A kangaroo? But I thought you had experience in magic, Zazu!"
``Well, I said I had experience. I never said I was good," replied Zazu.
``This is what I turned James the Wizard into so I could escape!" said Simba.
``You transformed James? And took his wand?" said Zazu.
``Well, yeah," said Simba.
``Well, it would probably be a good idea to go back to him and return it. And since he knows how to work it better than either of us, it?ll be a good idea to have him turn you back," Zazu said. Simba realized Zazu was right.
``Yeah, let?s do that," said Simba.
``I?m glad you?re listening to me for once!" said Zazu.
``Hey, for a bananabeak birdbrain, you are pretty smart once in a while," Simba replied. Zazu was initially jarred at Simba?s remark, but he brushed it off as a friendly tease and smiled.
``Okay, but you have to lead the way, Fuzzy!"
Simba was soon hopping with Zazu flying overhead. They soon came to the trailer and jeep, and saw a familiar green kangaroo boxing a punching bag that was tied to the tree nearby. When James the Kangaroo saw Simba, who was now also a roo, he laughed.
``Wow, you sure look familiar! Except you were an eagle the last I saw you."
``Look, James. I?m sorry for turning you into a kangaroo and flying off with the wand. But my dad is King Mufasa of the Pridelands, and if my dad finds out I was another animal, he?ll remove me from the line of succession to the crown. So could you please turn me back?"
``Well, well, well. Looks like the shoe?s on the other foot!" said James.
``What?s a shoe?" asked Simba.
``I haven?t the foggiest. But I actually don?t mind being a kangaroo! As you can see, I?ve taken up boxing, and I?m quite good at it like this! I should turn into one more often. But yeah, give me the wand, and I?ll turn you back."
``Really! Okay!" said Simba, taking the wand out of his pouch and handing it to James. James pointed it at Simba, and once again, it lit up and zapped him.
Simba felt himself shrink down, and his teeth sharpen into fangs. His long, pointy ears became small and round, and he felt whiskers grow from his muzzle. His paws became short again, and he fell on all fours. ``I?m a lion again!" Then James zapped himself back into a duck.
``Indeed you are! Now, please don?t mess with my wand again," said James.
``Thank you, I won?t-HEE HAW!" Simba said. He then noticed what he thought was his lion?s tail was really a donkey?s tail. ``What?s this donkey tail all about?"
``Oh, that?s just the small price you have to pay for all the mayhem you caused!" said James. ``Don?t worry, it?ll revert to a proper lion?s tail by this time next week."
``A punishment! But I said I?m sorry!" said Simba.
``Cheer up, Simba. This isn?t bad enough to be removed from succession. You?ll probably receive a grounding at worst. And I?ll be sure to keep my beak sealed about everything else!" comforted Zazu. ``Let?s go now, before it gets dark."
``Well, so long, you two," said James. As he watched the newly reverted lion cub and hornbill walk and fly into the sunset, he put the wand back into the jeep?s trunk, and locked it, in case another sneaky animal wanted to play with magic again.
