Previously on Hakuna, Hakuna made a huge impression when he came up with an impeccable strategy to tackle two pressing issues for the BBC at Milner High. However, Super remains keen on discovering the prince's true strength, and the time has come to test the new kid.
A Memory of Avalanche
The scene fades into a time five years ago, at the heart of The Letebele Clan palace. The air crackled with a silent tension. Max, his expression etched with a deep-seated worry, addressed his older brother. "Brother," he stated, his voice a low, serious rumble, "the stats show that it is too dangerous to go outside. There is a high possibility of an avalanche."
Sehloho, ever the stoic leader, responded with a calm and measured voice. "Very well. Tell everyone to come inside and deploy the barriers." His command was absolute, his composure a beacon of stability in the face of nature's raw power.
Everyone was called inside. The great hall, usually a place of joyous echoes, fell into a hushed silence as the immense, reinforced barriers descended, sealing the palace from the raging blizzard outside. A heavy stillness settled over the family, the quiet broken only by the muffled howl of the wind.
All was silent until Justina, with a mother's sixth sense, felt a jarring absence. Her eyes widened, and she frantically looked around, a tremor of panic in her voice. "Max, where is Hakuna?"
A wave of dread washed over everyone. They searched the castle with no avail. The palace was immense, but Hakuna's absence was a chasm that could not be filled. Just then, the avalanche struck. The Royal House shuddered under the immense force, and a huge rumble echoed throughout the mansion. The entire structure was thrown into a violent shaking, and everyone was thrown off balance, scrambling for a foothold as the floor beneath them seemed to melt and shift.
As the shockwave dissipated, a chilling silence took its place. Max and Justina were escorted by a squadron of Sotho soldiers in a desperate search for Hakuna. The tension was thick, a suffocating blanket of dread. All was silent until Justina's ear-splitting scream shattered the quiet. She had sensed her son's presence, a faint, familiar warmth amidst the icy wreckage.
"Max," she shouted, her voice thick with pure anguish, "I can hear him! He's in pain!" Her motherly instinct was a compass, a powerful force that bypassed logic and reason. She located Hakuna through a pure, unyielding love, and Max prepared to free him.
Max, his face, a mask of determination, pointed both his arms forward. He began a powerful incantation, his voice ringing out with a resonant, ancient power. "Disintegrus!!" A blinding light erupted from his hands, a burst of energy that instantly evaporated a huge, circular chunk of the compacted snow and ice.
The sight that was revealed sent a sharp, agonizing pang through their hearts. Hakuna lay beneath the ice, his small body unmoving, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles. He was unable to move, his eyes half-closed, a silent testament to the unimaginable pain he was enduring.
Hakuna was quickly taken to Bernice's hospital, a place of state-of-the-art medical technology. But even there, there were complications.
Max, his voice tight with desperation, pleaded with the doctor. "Doctor, tell me you'll be able to save him."
The Doctor, a man of science who had seen every kind of injury, shook his head, his expression grim. "Uh, Mr. Ntlamele, we have a problem. Due to Hakuna being as young as he is, the impact of the avalanche was so great, it shattered 92% of his skeletal structure. I am truly astounded that he's still alive." The doctor's voice trailed off, a hint of professional awe mixed with his helplessness.
Max, a man known for his calm and calculated nature, took a deep breath. He had been prepared for this, a deep-seated knowledge that ran through his veins. "Strangely enough, we've sort of been prepared for this. Take him to the palace. We'll be able to save my brother."
Hakuna was quickly rushed back to the mansion, his small body a fragile burden in the arms of the soldiers. He was taken down a flight of stairs to the clandestine tech lab of defense, a place of incredible innovation and secret projects. There, they revealed a titanium-fibered skeleton prototype, a masterpiece of engineering, built with neuron-like sensors all over it.
"Are you sure this will work? It hasn't been properly tested," Sehloho questioned, skepticism evident in his visage.
Max, without missing a beat, responded, his voice unwavering. "It has to. This is our brother."
The Scientist, a man of incredible genius, chimed in. "Sire, the skeleton is ready."
Hakuna was placed on a table where the scientists examined him. A few tense minutes passed, each one stretching into an eternity.
Finally, the scientist declared, his voice filled with an undertone of relief and an attempt to maintain his composure. "It can be done, my lord."
Sehloho, a flicker of optimism in his eyes, said, "It should. He is the future of the Letebele Clan."
Max, however, raised his hand to halt the process, a deep-seated worry for his brother clouding his features. "Wait," he asked, "tell me everything there is to know about this skeleton. How it works, how it's supposed to fit my brother, and how it won't be a threat to his health. And how you even came up with this?"
The Scientist took a deep breath and began his explanation. "This all began when your father had an idea ten years ago. He foresaw a future where, as a warrior gets older, their bones would naturally deteriorate. Therefore, he thought that soon he will be handing over Peripheral Psycha to the next heir. He believed he must stay active for longer to guide the prince through honing his power. Sadly, King Edward died before we could begin the test phase of the skeleton, the invention he called Titanus Skeleta. The skeleton is made from titanium fibers and is comprised of its own central nervous system, comprised of a multitude of nerve-like receptors that use sonar technology to detect danger. This allows the person wielding it to evade or deflect any danger without thinking about it. It also has a boost function, giving its wielder additional strength, speed, power, and agility for optimal battle performance."
Max looked to Sehloho with a slightly cheeky expression on his face. "Looks like you've got some competition, brother."
The Scientist continued, unfazed. "The skeleton is inserted via injection and assimilated through nanobot technology. It should be done calibrating quickly."
The computer beeped about five times, each beep signifying that the skeleton had been fully assimilated into one of the five end points of the body.
The Scientist, pride evident in his face, declared, "Ahh... the prince is ready."
Hakuna woke up and immediately tried to stand. He limped and almost fell, his body feeling alien and heavy.
Max caught the boy, his voice filled with concern. "Woah there, big guy, are you okay?"
"Yeah, but everything feels and looks lower, and my body... it feels so heavy." The prince responded, trying to gather his state of being.
The Scientist, remembering a key detail, voiced, "Uhm, the new skeleton has made him a bit taller. It was designed for the older King Edward after all."
They were all surprised at Hakuna's new height, a testament to the skeleton's advanced design.
The scientist ran some tests on Hakuna, physical strength, speed, and various others. They found that each and every one of Hakuna's abilities had been heightened drastically. Despite his increased mass, he was faster, stronger, and more agile than before. That was when Max decided to train the boy more rigorously from then on, to hone the incredible power that now lay within him.
A Collision of Power
The scene jumps to the present day, at Milner High School.
Enzo, his body coiled and ready, entered his fighting stance. He spoke, his voice filled with a confident challenge. "Alright, for your first Milnerian fight, you'll be going up against me. Now, don't hold back on me like you did with that demon."
Hakuna, an uncharacteristic enthusiasm in his eyes, entered his own stance. "Hmph, you'd be foolish to think I'd go easy on you of all people..." he chimed.
The rest of the BBC watched, their faces a mixture of suspense and anticipation as the atmosphere changed. The other students sensed that a fight was about to ensue, and they backed away, giving the two fighters a wide berth. Both Enzo and Hakuna lunged and leaped towards each other with blazing speed, and as they clashed...
Fade Out...
End of Episode 3.