Episode 8: Rain

Episode 8: Rain is the eighth episode of My Pride.

It premiered worldwide on Youtube on November 29, 2020.

Characters

 * Nothing
 * Feather
 * Rain/Cansu
 * Lite
 * Kyoga
 * Karabi
 * Precisecharge
 * Wolfmane
 * Quiethunter
 * Earthpelt
 * Pandora
 * Falconsnap
 * Shadow
 * Sunjester
 * Sunleap
 * Splinter
 * Nightstrike
 * Doomfur
 * Purplish Lioness
 * Unknown Purple Lion
 * Light furred and brown maned lion
 * Unknown pinkish lioness
 * Two unknown sisters of Karabi
 * Orange-and-white lioness
 * Pale-brown maned lion
 * An unknown brown lion
 * Unknown brown lion with eye clawed out
 * Unknown colored lion
 * Unknown gendered and colored lion
 * An orange furred lioness
 * Light gray lion
 * A pale maned lioness
 * Another brown lion
 * Another unknown colored lion

Content Warning

 * Gore
 * Violence
 * Homophobia

Deaths

 * Karabi
 * 15+ unnamed lions

Summary
The episode starts with Nothing and Feather sleeping on the Prideless Stretch. It starts raining. Cansu appears, and then transforms into her disguise, the prideless lioness, Rain. She starts to tell Nothing about how she is actually Kyoga, beginning by taking her to a place on the Stretch. When Nothing comments about how they are still there, Rain tells her to close her eyes. She begins telling the story of times before Prides, when all lions belonged to one of three kingdoms. Nothing states that this is how a story her grandmother used to tell started. Rain continues to explain that each kingdom had their own territory, but all lions lived in harmony in the Emerald Valley. She prompts Nothing to open her eyes, and when she does, they have been transported to the Emerald Valley itself. Nothing asks how Rain did that, but Rain tells her to follow without explaining.

Rain leads Nothing to a spot in the Valley and tells her it is where she was born. She reveals a scene of cubs playing together while lions and lionesses interact in the background. Nothing asks if the lions can see them, and Rain tells her it is just a memory. Nothing claims it's not her memory, and that she was born back at the Sister's Steppe. Rain reveals that she was called Kyoga, and the cub she's playing with is Lite. Nothing reacts with disbelief, but Rain continues to explain that she and Lite had both been chosen by their goddesses and were promised to each other as mates. Nothing finishes for her, that it was to bring peace to the Sun and Moon kingdoms, and that she knows this story. She asks why they are here, and Rain explains: "Because you don't know this story."

Rain leads nothing to another section of the Valley, and day changes to night around them. They look out at a grown Lite and Kyoga, and Nothing comments that they grew up before Rain shushes her and tells her to pay attention. Kyoga begins explaining to Lite that she's never even been beyond the Emerald Valley, and she isn't sure if she's ready to lead. Lite tells her it's a huge responsibility, and there's no way they could feel ready. She says he's not helping, and he laughs and says he's not finished. He goes on to say that they'll be fine, the goddesses don't make mistakes, that they were born for this, and they will always have each other. Kyoga reluctantly agrees, and Lite yawns and says he's going to get some sleep. Kyoga tells him she'll be there soon, and stares up at the moon sadly as he leaves. In the background, Rain tells Nothing that Kyoga liked Lite just fine, but something was missing. Nothing exclaims that this is the most famous love story in history, and asks what could possibly be missing. Rain simply says "her" and turns to look at Kyoga.

An unknown voice asks if Lite is gone, and Kyoga, smiling, says he's gone. Out of the bushes emerges a purple lioness, telling Kyoga she missed her, and begs her not to make her stay away so long next time, claiming she won't survive. Kyoga embraces the lioness as she speaks, and addresses her as Karabi, telling her she's sorry but she doesn't "want Lite to think...." As she trails off, Nothing turns to Rain, asking in disbelief if that's Karabi the Terrible, and saying that she and Kyoga seemed like friends, or more. Rain tells her that Kyoga cared for Lite, but the only lion she loved was Karabi. The focus turns back to Karabi, who states that she doesn't understand why Kyoga doesn't tell Lite about them, and asks what she will do on their joining day. Kyoga sadly says that she'll go through with it, that it's important for their kingdoms that they lead together, so they will. Karabi asks if that's it for her and Kyoga, and Kyoga exclaims that she doesn't want it to be, and that she loves Karabi. Karabi, angrily, says "right, you love me, but you don't want anyone to know about us. Sure." Kyoga cries out that her kingdom needs the alliance with the Sun kingdom, and asks what she's supposed to do. She tells Karabi she doesn't have a choice, and Karabi tells her she was born to live a life, not to serve a purpose. She says there is always a choice, and asks what Kyoga wants her life to be. Not Lite, or her kingdom. Her. As the lionesses look at each other, Rain tells Nothing to follow her again.

As Nothing pauses to observe her surroundings, Lite's voice is heard, asking "Where is she!?" He exclaims that lions from across the three kingdoms are waiting for their joining ceremony, and Wolfmane tells him they've searched the valley, and no one has seen her. Angrily, he tells Wolfmane and Quiethunter to look again, that she could have been kidnapped or killed. Precisecharge enters, telling Lite she has news of Kyoga. Lite, relieved, asks where she is. Precisecharge tells him that Kyoga and Cansu's chosen, Karabi, left together, and that she is safe and not to worry. Susprised, Lite asks what she means by that. The lioness nervously tells him Kyoga means to join with Karabi instead of Lite. With a growl, Lite states that she is lying, and that Kyoga was kidnapped. Precisecharge says Kyoga was very clear, but is cut off by Lite's roar that he is Sunce's chosen, leader of the sun kingdom, and he decides what is true. He asks where they had gone, and Precisecharge tells him they didn't say. Lite tells her it's no matter, and the he will find them. Rain sighs, and tells Nothing to come with her.

As Nothing follows Rain, she is startled by the sudden appearance of dozens of dead bodies, and gasps. Rain tells her Lite accused Karabi of kidnapping his bride, and started a war between the Sun and Storm kingdoms that resulted in carnage on a scale never been seen before or since. She continues to tell Nothing that Kyoga and Karabi agreed to meet Lite at the highest point in the valley in an attempt to end the violence.

Lite tells Karabi he came alone, just like she'd asked, and takes a step forward as he requests that she give Kyoga back and all of this can be over. Karabi tells him to stay back, that they only came to talk. Kyoga begs Lite to stop the war, and says she can't give him what he wants. He tells her that's not true, that she loved him. She tells him she loved him dearly as her friend, but nothing more. Lite accuses her of abandoning him without a word, and she tells him she did what she had to in order to be happy, and asks that he let them live in peace. He tells her there is no peace without her, and that he loves her. Kyoga looks away, and he tells her to look at him, walking toward her. Karabi shouts "I said STAY BACK!" and pounces on Lite, pinning him to the ground with a paw on his throat, choking him. Kyoga asks Karabi what she's doing, and tells her to stop it. She tells Kyoga that he's a monster, and he'll keep hunting them as long as he is alive, claiming that she has to end this. Kyoga pleads with her not to kill him, saying she knows he's done horrible things, but he was her friend, and she can't watch Karabi kill him. When she says "Please, Karabi, let him go! For me." Karabi looks at Lite before telling Kyoga "Only for you." She releases Lite and walks back over to Kyoga, nuzzling her as she thanks Karabi. Kyoga turns to Lite and starts to apologize, but is interrupted by Lite lunging forward, reaching past her and slicing Karabi's throat. Karabi staggers backward, gagging on her own blood, and Kyoga cries out for Karabi, running to her side and laying down next to her as she collapses and gasps for breath. Lite, face splattered with blood, exclaims that she was going to kill him, that he had to strike first, she's crazy! Kyoga pays him no attention, apologizing to Karabi and saying she was right, calling herself stupid, telling Karabi how much she loves her and begging her to hold on. Lite yells at Kyoga, saying he's talking to her and to look at him. Kyoga's face changes from despair to calm rage, and she turns to face Lite. "Asra may take me, but you will never win."

The wind begins to rustle and we see the moon fade from the sky as the landscape becomes grayscale, except for Lite's blue eyes and the red blood everywhere. Kyoga begins to channel Asra, speaking in an echoing voice with pure white eyes as her fur begins to glow gold and white and her body grows to the size of the Goddess. She recites this curse: "For the peace you have denied us, your soul will know no peace. Not in this life, or the next. Every life you live upon this Earth will be marred with suffering, and I will be your death in each and every one of them. So says Asra, the Goddess of Death. You are and will always be cursed, Lite of the Sun Kingdom." Lite cowers in terror as Kyoga glows bright and vanishes, taking Karabi's body with her. We see the pool of blood that Karabi was once lying in, as well as Lite's petrified expression.

Nothing appears devastated, and Rain can't even look at the scene before them. Nothing says that none of this played out like it did in the story. Rain explains it's because Lite was the only one left to tell the story. Rain states that he told it and told it, and when the Kingdoms fell, Lite built Pride Law out of his hate and fear. She goes on to say that when Sunce rose to see that Asra had interfered with the lives of mortals again, her fury was so hot and fierce that it set the whole of the Emerald Valley ablaze. Thunder rolls in the distance as Rain says that she tried her best to put out the flames, but it wasn't enough. Rain explains that Asra has been missing ever since, and Sunce's anger has never subsided, so the dry season is longer and harder every year. Nothing asks who has been taking spirits to the stars if Asra has been missing this whole time, and Rain reveals that nobody has, so spirits are trapped on Earth until she returns. Rain insists she needs Nothing's help, and Nothing expresses doubt. Rain tells her she is Kyoga, and she is destined to kill Lite, whoever he is in this life, but if she does, the cycle will only repeat again: Asra will stay hidden, dry season will get worse, and Pride Law will continue. Nothing tells Rain she has the wrong lioness, and sits down, favoring her injured leg. She says that she's not Kyoga, or a legend, she's just nothing. Rain tells her she can believe that and do nothing, or help her fix a broken world, and says it's her choice, to which Nothing agrees and asks what she needs to do. Rain says to find Asra in the Shifting Place, which is under a curse to shift if she or Sunce get too close, and that Asra and Sunce have to reconcile. Nothing says she doesn't know where to start looking, and Rain says it always comes to her, and that Asra won't leave if she knows it's to see her sisters. Nothing asks if she wants her to trick a goddess, and Rain tells her not to think of it as tricking her, just nudging her in the right direction. Nothing claims she doesn't know if she can do that, and Rain says when the time comes, she knows she'll do the right thing.

Nothing awakens on the Prideless Stretch, breathing heavily. She looks over at Feather sleeping soundly beside her, and tells herself it was just a dream.

Trivia

 * Tribble has stated that this was be the most ambitious episode yet.
 * 7 of the characters being fan made, and added for the winners of a contest Tribble held.
 * This episode has the most character appearances, in total having 33 characters