Like Water and Rain (Season 2 Premiere)

I feel stronger than Reinhardt with how buff I am right now!

'''Mature...however, I do sense that Zira is going to put her grand plan into action. Are you sure you want to do this?'''

Oh sure, i’m terrified of the consequences of coming into the Pridelands with an outsider, that will certainly raise suspicion.

What am I doing, exactly? Well, Zira is forcing me into coming with Kovu for a mission. One thing I took into account is the presence of The Lion Guard.''' '''

'''I’ve been observing the Pridelands ever since we started. They were called to an ally’s kingdom in order to protect it until they can recover from a horrendous conflict. Quite amusing, I will say. '''

Oh, so they’re out of the equation?''' '''

Anyway, Zira is planning for us to stay with her until a fire caused by Vitani and Nuka engulfs a small chunk of the Pridelands, then move us in in order to rescue what she simply calls ‘her’.

I had doubts originally, but right now, I was standing with Kovu and Zira, overlooking the burning forests and running animals. I felt my stomach wrench at the sight and that I am even playing a part in this, but there was no turning back now. This was my mission. This was our mission. In order to not blow my cover, I had to follow through with it. Good thing is, being with the outsiders all these months allowed me to be a better fighter, so that’s nice.

Kovu looked at the spectacle, cold and emotionless, determined to fulfill his goal and his ‘destiny’. Zira, however, had the wicked smile that always made me shudder, but got used to.

‘’The plan is in motion..’’ Zira said, but paused as she chuckled, then barked. ‘’GO!’’

Immediately, we ran down to the fire, heading inside of it in order to find and save whoever was caught in that fire in order to get into the Pridelands.

--

Ack! This is more problematic than I thought it would be!

'''Of course it is! You walked into a FIRE! Fires naturally end up being nearly impossible to transverse through without passing out like a weakling.'''

Great boost in confidence.

I try my best…

JESUS!

I moved out of the way as a tree fall in front of us, but quickly hopped over and followed Kovu through the burning forest, eventually seeing a lioness’ body ahead.

‘’I think I see her!’’ I said to him.

‘’What are you waiting for!? Go get her so we can move!’’ He shouted, causing me to speed up and stop to where it the lioness...something seemed familiar about this one. I turned it’s head to face towards me while Kovu came behind me and...reddish-brown eyes…

Reddish-brown eyes...cream fur...it’s...it’s...

‘’Kiara…’’ I breathed, eyes widened as I looked over the fallen lioness before she passed out again. Looking down at her, stunned, I turned to Kovu. ‘’You didn’t tell me we-’’

‘’Hurry up!’’ He barked and I quickly picked her up.

‘’You didn’t tell me we were going for KIARA!’’ I gritted my teeth. ‘’If I knew, i’d be more prepared for what to go after!’’''' '''

‘’Let’s just move so we don’t die in the fire!’’ Kovu yelled before he ran off, with me looking at the lioness before carrying her alongside him.

I’ll get you out of here…

'''The pridelanders made you soft, the outsiders made you tough. Are you suddenly going to go back to softness?'''

Ignoring that jab, I sprinted with Kovu, a tree falling in front of us, but my determination to get Kiara out of the forest causing me to straight up break the tree in half, to the shock of Kovu, who quickly recovered from it and followed me. Hey, what can I say, I always didn’t know my own strength.

Regardless, I jumped after the brown lion as he leapt off a chasms and all 3 of us tumbled into the water. Looking up at the fire, I noticed Kiara sinking. ‘’Kovu, get her! She’s closer to where you are!’’

Nodding, Kovu started pulling Kiara by the scruff towards shore as I went with him, dropping the lioness on the ground and allowing her to cough. I smiled as she slowly woke up while Kovu frowned.

‘’W-Where am I?’’ She asked and Kovu smirked.

‘’You’re safe...in the Pridelands.’’ He said nonchalantly.

‘’In the pridelands...NO!’’ She shouted, catching both of us off guard. ‘’Why did you bring me here? Who do you think you are!’’

‘’I do believe we are the ones that just saved your life, princess.’’ I said smugly as the princess turned to me with a growl.

‘’And who are you?’’ She asked as I frowned.

‘’Hmm…’’ I said, putting a finger in my mouth as I took it out. ‘’Remember that one lion that ended up being nearly killed by a monitor lizard’s bite stacked onto the roar of the elders?’’

‘’Yeah, what about hi-’’ Kiara started, but paused as she scanned my appearance, looking up and down as her mouth went agape. ‘’Wait a minute…’’

‘’Kovu, leave us here for a minute. Go tell Simba she’s safe.’’ I told the brown lion, who raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and walked off to do so. When he left, I turned to the shocked lioness. ‘’Princess, it has been a wh-’’

But I was stopped as Kiara enveloped me in an embrace matching those of Zuri’s in tightness, tears coming down. Not one of sadness, but of joy. ‘’Connor!’’

I smiled and embraced her back with a chuckle. ‘’Took you long enough.’’

‘’W-Where have you been?’’ She choked, backing away after the embrace. ‘’Zuri talked to my mom and dad about you...I don’t know what..but when I tried talking to Zuri about it, she-’’

‘’Didn’t say anything?’’ I asked and the tears were all I needed to confirm it. ‘’I was in the Outlands.’’

‘’FOR ALMOST A YEAR?!’’ She yelled, walking towards me. ‘’You left us for an entire year so you could get a little trip to the Outlands?!’’

‘’Kiara, thank goodness you’re safe!’’ I heard a familiar voice say as Nala ran towards her daughter, nuzzling her before Kiara continued.

‘’You said you’d be there for us, but you left us. Left us for a trip to the Outlands, where food and water are SCARCE!’’ Kiara growled with tears flowing. ‘’Do you have ANY idea how scared everyone was!? Mom and dad wouldn’t tell me what happened to you, ZURI wouldn’t tell me. The Guard went looking for you for weeks! Did you make this something nobody else should have known!? HUH!?’’

I looked down at Kiara’s rant, but quickly narrowed my eyes.

‘’I left in order to spy on Zira and PROTECT you, Kiara!’’ I shouted. ‘’Zira’s plan...everything..it involves YOU!’’

As Kiara’s eyes widened, Nala’s mouth was widened.

‘’What did you find..’’ Nala said. ‘’..Shujaa?’’

‘’I feel this would be better discussed between you, Simba and I.’’ I said as Kiara was too emotional to say anything else. ‘’There’s more to me coming back with Kovu and it’s tied to the fire.’’

Nala looked at the approaching Simba, who nodded.

‘’This has been worked over by Zira, Kovu, Vitani, Nuka and I for months.’’ I said. ‘’I did it to not expose myself to being loyal with you.’’

‘’What is it, exactly?’’ Simba asked as Kiara was outside with Tiifu and Zuri, the latter of which was ecstatic I came back in one piece. ‘’And how does this involve Kiara?’’

I sighed. ‘’Kovu is here because he was planned by Zira to get close to Kiara, as such earning your trust, leaving you open..for the kill.’’

Widened eyes of Nala’s crossed with Simba’s angered ones.

‘’He came to assassinate me?’’ Simba growled, but I stopped him.

‘’But!’’ I said. ‘’We need to wait to do something about this. I feel that with Kiara’s influence, Kovu will change his ways.’’

‘’But he’s one of them!’’ He protested. ‘’We can’t possibly trust him!’’

‘’If that’s the case, then you consider me one of them because I came along.’’ I frowned at the king’s apologetic look. ‘’You’re the king, Simba, but you’re not always the most rational of thinkers. I know Kovu better than all of you, so trust me on this.’’

Nala immediately nodded, as she always knew I was worth trusting. Simba, however, was silent, taking longer to consider it.

‘’Very well.’’ He said as I smiled. ‘’I will let you take over this situation since you were in the Outlands all that time. But one slip up and he’s banished.’’

‘’Understood, Simba.’’ I nodded as I walked outside. When I walked outside, I saw Kiara, with her ears down, talking to her friends while I went over to Kovu, who was resting by some rocks. Sitting down, I sighed.

‘’You knew them before you even came to the Outlands.’’ He correctly assumed. At my silent nod, he scoffed. ‘’Figured...you might jeopardize our mission. Your compassion towards the pridelanders will be our downfall. ''

‘’Kovu, our priority is for you to get to Kiara, then kill Simba.’’ I reminded him. ‘’My compassion won’t get in the way of our goal.’’

‘’So you say. ‘’ He spat before Kiara came over and smiled.

‘’Hey..uh...thanks for saving me today.’’ She said to Kovu, then looked at me and embraced me. ‘’And don’t you ever leave me again…’’

How sentimental…

Ah, don’t be a debbie downer.

I rubbed the back of her head with my own assuring smile before I smirked. ‘’I won’t. In fact, how about me and Kovu stick around and give you hunting lessons tomorrow since, as always, they didn’t do so well?’’

Blinking at the playful jab, she quickly smirked back. ‘’You’re on. I’ll see you both tomorrow morning. Impress me, Connor.’’

The last line, she got right in my face before walking off to a blinking Kovu.

‘’’Connor?’’’ He asked and I sighed.''' '''

‘’It’s a long story…’’

'''Note: Season 2 starting! The return of Shujaa, reunion of Kovu and Kiara and uncovering of Zira’s plan have all taken place, but how will future events be influenced by this?'''

 

NEXT: With Shujaa back in the Pridelands and working with Kovu to try to teach Kiara how to hunt, the human-turn-lion and princess attempt to soften up the outsider’s hard shell.