Like Water and Rain (Season 2 Finale)

It was time…

Zira and her Outsiders approached me and The Pridelanders, ready to fight. The rain hammering away on our fur, attempting to drown us into their own generated water. Nobody moved but Zira, who was pacing back and forth as my eyes followed her movements. The ground under us was wet and damp, mud getting into our paws as I looked at Kiara.

‘’Ready?’’ I asked The Princess, who smirked.

‘’Always.’’

‘’IT’S OVER!’’ I heard Zira’s voice yell, causing us to look at the crazed mother of three. ‘’I expected Simba to be here, but you’ll be a suitable replacement, Shujaa...and how cute, you brought the daughter.’’

At the last part, she went up to Kiara, pressing her nose on the lioness as I swiped at Zira, who backed away.

‘’Back away from her.’’ I growled as I eyed the leader. ‘’Your pride is the aggressor here, Zira. You invade these lands...and for what? Revenge? The need to conquer? Your kind is represented by fear and pain rather than peace and unity. The latter of which we must have. A full direct invasion on our lands is too much.’’

‘’We both know that there is no ‘too much’ when it comes to me.’’ She growled. ‘’Years of planning. Years of training up my pride to be the best fighters around. And look, I even trained YOU! I trained you to put aside your compassion and do things my way. The RIGHT way. And here you are, letting those same emotions drive you to ruin my plan entirely, the daughter was the key to everything!’’

‘’It’s not my fault you sent a childhood friend out to get with Kiara.’’ I shrugged at Kovu’s growl and Kiara’s blinking. ‘’I knew from the moment I saw Kiara’s face in the smoke that I couldn’t bring myself to go forward with the plan, even if I was playing along with it.’’

‘’So it WAS her!’’

My head turned to a seething Kovu as he continued. ‘’All this time...you weren’t intending to truly follow my mother’s orders! You let Kiara get to you and go against it all!’’

‘’It wasn’t just her, Kovu…’’ I sighed as I turned to Nala, Zuri, Tiifu, my family and the other Pridelanders. ‘’It was them.’’

‘’ENOUGH!’’

Next thing I knew, Kovu pinned me down and the fighting began among the prides. Kovu and I fighting and trying to tear each other apart. Kovu’s feeling of betrayal and his literal betrayal and attack on Kiara fueling my desire to put him down.

Don’t let compassion hold you back on this fight, Connor!

RIGHT!

I rammed into the male lion, sending him down as I jumped up, only for Kovu to get out of the way and knock me to the side. As I got up, I ducked a pounce from the hate-fueled Kovu, biting his tail and yanking him a few feet away. As he bounced off the ground a bit, I smirked.

‘’You’re getting sloppy, Kovu.’’

‘’That’s what you think!’’

Vitani then suddenly came up behind me, biting at my mane as I tried getting her off. As I grabbed her and threw her down, I was, again, pinned down by Kovu. I tried to wrestle my way out, but Vitani cave and put her paws on my own.

‘’Look at you.’’ Vitani chuckled. ‘’Flat on your back, alone as the prides fi-’’

But a familiar Princess knocked Vitani away and began fighting with her. With Kiara handling Vitani, I pushed Kovu off. We stared each other down, eyes narrowed, me with the desire to protect The Pridelands and those in it...and Kovu with the desire to do the opposite. He didn’t want Kiara anymore, rather he wanted to forcefully become king. With Simba in Pride Rock, injured and weak, with Sarabi, Sarafina and Jenna protecting him, I knew that I couldn’t let him get to the King.

‘’You ruined the plan.’’ Kovu seethed. ‘’Everything we trained for ruined because you got with Kiara instead of me.’’

‘’Is that jealousy I hear, Kovu?’’ I mocked. ‘’Shame. I considered a lion of your size and frame to be unhindered by petty emotions.’’

Your little Princess isn’t faring too well against Vitani.

I looked over and saw that, indeed, Kiara was, while still giving Vitani a good fight, wasn’t on her level, especially with Kiara not having fully recovered from the ambush. Most terrifying thing is that I couldn’t help her because I was too busy with…

Wait…

‘’Kiara!’’ I shouted to my Princess, who looked at me while dodging Vitani. ‘’Let’s do it!’’

Nodding, me and Kiara switched place, me crashing into Vitani as the Princess rammed into Kovu, actually managing to get him off his feet. As I put my paw around Sarabi, I growled.

‘’Vitani, listen!’’ I shouted. ‘’Your mother isn’t what you think! She’ll throw you away like common trash!’’

‘’How?! She’s my mother!’’

Oh, for the love of-

I tossed her away. ‘’Pridelanders, Outsiders, what kind of difference is it? We’re all lions here! Lions bent by a goal we must follow...but we have differing views.’’

As Vitani’s face fell, I continued. ‘’You can live a life of peace and happiness, but only if you accept that unity is the only path to real safety.’’

As if considering that, Vitani stopped trying to attack me, only nodding slowly and running off to fight elsewhere...let’s hope that she realizes it.

You’ll be thankful if she does. She’s a better fighter than both you and Kovu, though not by much. You’re lucky you even gave Kiara fighting lessons prior to the battle.

Speaking of which, Kiara was backing away from the approaching Kovu, growling while wincing, the injuries from the ambush still there. Acting on instinct, I pushed Kiara out of the way as the large lion, went for a final blow, causing me to be hit instead and tumble into a large rock, a bloody scar down my right eye.

Now we’re more similar than ever…

Hrgh..shut up!

Kiara rushed to my aid as Kovu leaped, knocking him away and landing next to me.

‘’Are you alright?!’’ She asked me as I smiled.

‘’Been through worse.’’ I chuckled as she smiled back. We then looked at Kovu, who was frowning coldly. ‘’I guess this means we’re even?’’

‘’You saved me from Kenge and the fire. I assume this does make us even.’’

‘’I got this, Kiara.’’

‘’No..WE got this...together.’’

I looked at Kiara’s smile and sighed, then looked at Kovu. ‘’It’s over, Kovu. After you are dealt with, i’ll move onto the finale.’’

Growling, Kovu charged over to us as I jumped up, knocking him back as Kiara jumped on my back, then jumped up as soon as she landed, pinning him down, then getting off as I rammed into the lion, who was getting up. As soon as he managed to get up again, we both came and hit him at the same time, sending him back near the edge of a cliff leading down to where I previously found Kiara and Simba injured.

‘’Isn’t this toasty?’’ I asked mockingly as Kiara and I approached the furious Kovu. ‘’Below where you are, you attacked her and Simba...and here you are, teetering in the face of defeat. How the mighty fall.’’

‘’I..am..not..done..YET!’’ He roared before leaping at me for one final attack, but I met him with my own, causing us to clash again. We struggled in the battle of strength, him being slightly stronger, but I myself holding my own.

Hmm…

Something you want to add, oh wise one?

Might want to have your Princess hang on to you for a moment.

Wait, what fo-

Suddenly, I felt my legs get a boost as I started to quickly push back the larger and stronger lion, both him and Kiara surprised, the former more so. As I swatted his arms into the air, I slammed one down and broke it by putting all of my weight on it with the extra speed. As Kovu roared in pain, backing towards the edge, I rammed into him at full speed, sending him falling down it before I was barely caught by Kiara’s paw.

‘’Hang on!’’ Kiara pleaded as we both saw Kovu land on the ground below with a large cloud of dust.

I started to climb up, but saw Kiara yelp in pain. ‘’Kiara?’’

‘’I don’t think so!’’

I gasped as I saw Zira digging her claws into the lioness’s arm, which was still holding onto me. Seeing Kiara’s cringes and whines as she kept holding onto me incited a fury which allowed me to leap up and pin down Zira.

‘’GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!’’ I nearly roared in her face, Zira stunned as Kiara held her arm.

As I was choking the lioness, my eyes turning to black due to my anger, I continued. ‘’You think you can go around hurting others’ loved ones, Zira?! That everything will go perfectly to plan for you?! Let me tell you ONE thing...ONE! IT! WILL! NOT!’’

Zira pushed me off and we began fighting. One fighting for vengeance, the other to protect. I was struck by Zira’s paw as I staggered a bit, only to knock her to the side and run towards the mad lioness, but was knocked down by Nuka.

‘’Mother! Mother!’’ Nuka shouted as he ran towards his mother. ‘’I’ll take care of him! I’ll take ca-’’

But Nuka was stopped as Vitani came over and tackled him down. I was surprised as Vitani got up and began beating the pudding out of Nuka, but shook my head out of it as I turned back to Zira, who was cackling.

‘’You brought this among yourself!’’ She said at my frown. ‘’It is because of you that this extra level of brutality is shown! I have nothing to lose now...but you do.’’

I narrowed my eyes. ‘’And that’s why I am going to stop you.’’

I, again, ran towards her, who did the same. We clashed, fighting tooth and nail, back and forth, the fate of The Pridelands at stake. I dodged a few of her swipes and ducked another one, then grabbed her by the throat and slammed her down, causing Zira to bounce off the ground and tumble repeatedly. As she got up, I charged at her.

While she’s more experienced and a better fighter, my superior strength, speed and calmness, having calmed myself after seeing Kiara alright and Vitani assisting, I managed to back her into a corner.

‘’No...NO!’’ She growled. ‘’I will avenge Scar! I WILL!’’

This really isn’t necessary…

So what will you do?

‘’Zira, cut the paranoia!’’ Scar shouted as he appeared between us.

‘’S-Scar?’’ Zira’s eyes widened before she growled again. ‘’It can’t be true! It’s a lie!’’

A shrug. ‘’It’s only a lie if you can’t see the truth.’’

‘’It’s an illusion!’’ She leapt at Scar, but had her paws burning as she backed away, screaming.

‘’Now!’’ He shouted at me, enabling me to run and ram into her, sending her off the very same cliff as the gorge filled with water, drowning both Zira and Kovu.

Kiara came over to us, eyes widened. ‘’H-How…?’’

‘’I’ll explain it later, Kiara.’’ I sighed. ‘’They’re gone.’’

A leaked tear from the Princess. ‘’I just wish there was something else we could have done…’’

I sighed and made her look me in the eyes. ‘’As I told Kion...nothing can be all sunshine and rainbows...we need to accept the consequences of actions, Kiara…’’

Reluctantly, Kiara nodded, then immediately nuzzled me. ‘’What now…?’’

‘’We do what Connor wanted..unite the prides.’’

Blinking, the two of us looked at Scar, who was next to a confused Vitani….either at Scar, the idea of uniting prides or both. ‘’As much as I despise this dreaded land, I am forever linked to his life, so I must keep him alive as much and long as possible.’’

‘’So how do you suppose we do this?’’ I asked the fallen prince, who scoffed.

‘’Simple...let my great-niece handle it.’’

Kiara’s eyes and mouth widened. ‘’M-Me?’’

‘’I was watching over your cursed family ever since I died. Your father’s messages of ‘we are one’ might come in handy in this occasion.’’ He explained, yellow glowing eyes looking at me. ‘’As I assume he told you.’’

‘’If you need any help, i’ll be there for you.’’ I assured the lioness, putting my paw on her shoulder. ‘’As i’ve always been.’’

Looking at the ground, she then looked back at us and nodded. ‘’Let’s do it.’’

--

As we approached the still fighting prides, Scar disappeared in a fiery blaze that was similar to how Scorpion teleports, Kiara with seriousness in her eyes, determination to end it once and for all.

‘’Everyone, stop!’’ She yelled, causing the fight to halt. ‘’We don’t need to tear each other apart...can’t you see...we’re all the same?’’

My family, along with Nala and Vitani came to us. Also with them were Timon and Pumbaa, who I decided to whisper to.

‘’Did you do the gas attack, Timon?’’

‘’Yeah, but it wasn’t as strong as you said it would be. Sorry, pal.’’

‘’Eh, it doesn’t matter.’’

‘’We are all lions!’’ Kiara began. ‘’True, we may not have the same agendas, qualities or features...but what does that matter...we are one...we’re not that much different from each other.’’

The lionesses of both prides began to ease their gazes towards each other and look at the Princess. ‘’Every day, our prides have dreamed of victory. War on the horizon. Tonight, there was war...but on that same night, there can be none.’’

Both prides came over to us...and started embracing each other, apologizing for the years of prejudice.

Both Kiara and I looked at each other and nuzzled. We had done it…

We ended everything.

Scar, Kiara and I were all sitting on the peak of Pride Rock, watching the sunrise.

‘’Wait, you’ve been in his head ever since he got to this world?’’

‘’You could put it that way…’’

‘’That’s just terrible..’’

‘’Do you not know who thought of that hideous necklace for you!?’’

Yes, Scar and I designed a necklace for Kiara together, made of small rocks with vines acting as the makeshift string. Kiara, while suspicious, put it on and absolutely adored it.

Something else I noticed about Scar is that he was...different. No, he hadn’t changed much of his attitude, but he was calmer and less bitter.

‘’But seriously..’’ I sighed, breaking the argument between great-uncle and great-niece. Looking down below and noticing the prides coming together in two lines, I looked to the Princess. ‘’It’s time.’’

‘’This is going to be humiliating…’’ Scar groaned before disappearing back into my head.

We walked down the peak to my family, who hugged us both.

‘’Oh, my baby is a hero!’’ My mom cried tears of joy as she nearly crushed me with her embrace, to the amusement of Kiara.

‘’Mom...please!’’ I wheezed as the Princess giggled.

‘’Beckie, it wasn’t just us, you know.’’ She pointed out. ‘’It was you all too. This was a combined effort.’’

‘’True.’’ My mom admitted. ‘’But I am happy that my little baby boy has found happiness!’’

‘’Mom!!!’’ I blushed as Kiara giggled further.

‘’Kiara! Shujaa!’’ I heard Simba call to us, Nala and Sarabi next to him. ‘’Come over here.’’

Hesitantly, we slowly approached the King. Zuri came up and hugged me, with me returning the embrace before I shooed her back in line playfully, to her disappointment.

‘’You two, in the face of turmoil lack of direction, helped unite seemingly permanently split prides, bringing a new age of peace.’’ He started, then looked to the edge. ‘’How about instead of Nala and I, you two do the honors?’’

Blinking, we looked at each other before starting to walk up to the edge of the rock. I looked down and saw all of the animals below us. I was almost nervous about doing this and Kiara shared the same thought.

As much as I hate to admit it...you deserve it.

Thanks...pal.

We then roared as the animals cheered. My family, having been accustomed to the whole ‘being a lion’ thing, also followed suit, with the rest of the pride also roaring.

Kiara and I nuzzled each other as we looked down at all of the cheering Pridelanders.

A year ago, we were enemies at each other’s throats...but know we are hearts…

United as heroes.

'''Note: Season 2 finale! WOOO! Thanks to everyone who has been with me this long!'''

'''NEXT: Season 3 Premiere! A couple of days after the union of the prides, Shujaa decides to try to catch up with his family, who constantly asks embarrassing questions. Meanwhile, Janja, despite Shujaa’s warnings, reappears in order to carry out a task. But when Scar denies involvement, will Shujaa find who is truly orchestrating the attack?'''