Hourglass: Wakandan Champion

Chapter 1: Prideful Child

'Faster!' He urged himself, breaking past three other children around the track of the Wakandan sports field. 'FASTER!' His stride opened as his long time friend and rival Naomi was neck and neck with him as she had always been.  Why could he never out pace her? Why were they always even? An answer he long questioned, but he liked it this way.  This way was much more fun, much more competitive, this way he could say that he earned the title of being Wakanda's best under the King himself. 

The crowd was roaring in the stands at this track and field spectacular.  King T'challa, his son Azari, and Queen Ororo were in the highest seats with a worldly view from above praising the Tribal track and field day. Drones floated providing imaging across the country for those that couldn't be there in person to view.  In front of all these eyes, he couldn't possibly stand to lose.  However, it wasn't up to him.  No, this was a relay race and it was time to hand it off to the last of their chain and leave their victory up to them. 

So he did.  His arm reached out and with a leaping lunge he passed the baton off but from his peripheral he could see Naomi right beside him and their batons reached the hands of their teammates at the same time.  'CRAP!' His momentum slowed, and finally brought him to a crisp walk off the track field while he watched his cousin race against her opponent. 

"Were gonna get you Jai!" Naomi taunted in a huff approaching him on the side line.  

"Yea. Okay!" He rolled his eyes in sarcasm, watching Ochoa come racing around the track.  "You know the Border tribe is the strongest tribe, the river doesn't have a chance.  Look Ochoas' already in the lead!" he pointed out.  

That she was at least a yard ahead of the river tribe teen that followed her, however her pace was weakening, her strides shortening. "No..." he brought his thumb to his mouth.  Watching the River tribe teen Z'kau quickly catch up, and the finish line being just one yard away.  

"I don't know why you care anyhow.  You live up in that lavish palace with you're brother.  How could you possibly understand the strength of the crocodiles of the river living with panthers." Naomi patted his shoulder.  Ochoa was passed, and the tape was cut by Z'Kau, he jumped and threw his hands to the sky in triumph. 

"Our relay winner, The River Tribe!" 

"JAMANI!" he cursed in a stomp. 

"Haha! See ya Jai!" Naomi winked rushing off the side line to her cousin and joining the rest of their team in celebration, jumping upon his back for his clutch performance.  

The other members of his squad, his border tribe cousins all rallied around him including Ochoa, head inclined in shame at her defeat, her right hand grasping her left arm that still held the baton.  "I'm sorry Jai." She said lowly.  

His back was turned to her, and in a grunt he spit out his truth.  "Yea you are." 

Suddenly he found his head pounded upon, a shake sent through his being that caused him to squat from the hit of none other than a vibranium pole he had come to know for years as 'Aunt Vibra' in the hands of no other than his Aunt Shuri.  "What have I told you..." She reached for his ear yanking his posture straight. "About being a sore loser!" 

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Aunt Shuriiiiii" he begged, wanting to yank away so badly but knowing that she would just pull harder.  This was not his first time in the hot seat over his mouth, and definitely wouldn't be his last he should no better than to act this way in public where he could be easily humiliated for his lack of manners. 

"You apologize to Ochoa this instant!" 

"I'm...sorry..." he said lowly turning his head away. "OOWWWW" He cried as she tugged again. 

"Like you mean it boy! Raise you're head too!" She demanded. 

He sighed and stood up straight as he was told looking at his teammates and cousins in arms. The look on their faces as if he was their guidance and example sincerely brought out the want to change his tone, rather than his aunts wrathful demand.  "I'm sorry Ochoa. You did you're best." he finished with a slight smile.  "Bring it in Rhinos." he put his hand out. 

The group piled their hands in. "One. Two. Three!" 

"WAKANDA FOREVER!" They shouted throwing their hands into the air, and joined together in a rowdy huddle.  From the corner of his eye, he caught the look of pride in his Aunt Shuri's eye from his change in demeanor.  However, he could also see from beyond her, the river tribe team being presented with gold medals for their win and deep down this was crushing him.  For now however it seemed he would have to suck it up and bare with it.  

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Later

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Jai was fresh from the shower, the other teenage boys prepping themselves the same.  Sitting on a bench in front of his locker with his towel wrapped around his waist while he applied deodorant to his under arms.  The other boys were all laughing and cracking jokes from their respective places, but not Jai, he decided to sit by his locker alone. The locker room door opened on the opposite end of his locker, and a draft blew through the otherwise mist warmed facility.  The a metallic clicking upon the locker damp floor, and hum of a sonic engine told of who was making their way in, but Bast knows he hoped to be wrong. 

"JAI THAT WAS AN AMAZING RUN!" K'maru poked his head around the locker, and circled around limping on his cane with his drone over his shoulder to sit beside Jai, head now ducked in annoyance at his brothers usual fanboy cry. 

"Alright nerd, just in case you didn't know the border lost." Jai groaned. 

"Still." Prince Azari chimed in coming from behind the locker a second later.  "The border tribe did good, you got bronze at least." He shrugged now leaned against an adjacent locker to Jai's own.  

"The heck am I supposed to do with a bronze metal?" Jai stood up snatching his shirt from the locker, and throwing it over himself.  "As the prince of Wakanda, you should know second place doesn't matter one bit, the king is no second man.  He's the first, our nations strongest." Jai defended. 

"I swear you care too much about winning." K'maru sighed, poking at his brothers back with the end of his cane.  

Jai slammed his fist into the locker right beside Azari's head and turned infuriated.  "If you were able to be a warrior, to compete like I am you would too!" The locker room went silent of the otherwise background conversations that were taking place, leaving nothing but the sound of running water and gasps.  

He watched K'marus face expression go soft, as he rose up from his seat without so much as another word and hobbled out of the locker room, his drone following behind him.  At the close of the door, Azari shook his head at Jai.  "Come on big bro, you can't be that way to 'Maru' its not his fault he's that way." he said. 

"Errr, yea well. He needs to stay in that lab and be gloated over all day for his brains rather than stepping in my business.  You of all people should get it Azari, you're THE prince.  One day, you're gonna have to fight someone for the right to be king, the Black Panther.  There should be no place for losing in you're heart either." 

Azari looked off for a moment realizing the truth in Jai's statement, even if it was a bit misguided.  "You right though...but dad isn't going anywhere anytime soon. SO I've got nothing to worry about." He bounced back grinning.  Tucking his hands in his pockets he started whistling tilting off the locker and turned towards the exit looking back at Jai putting a pause to his brief tune.  "Wanna go out on the town today?" 

"Uhhh...I can't." Jai answered. 

"Why not?" Azari asked curiously. 

"Ffffff...me and Naomi had a bet.  The loser has to treat the other to lunch." Jai finished putting planting his hand and forehead to the vibranium locker. Azari's snickering couldn't be anymore obvious and drew his gaze to the well dressed child.  

"Jai has a date! Jai has a date!" 

"IT'S NOT A DATE!" Jai jumped at Azari. 

"Oooooo I can't wait to tell Aunt Shuri!" Azari instigated, jumping back from Jai's half leap and rushing from the locker room in a sprint.  

Jai moaned lifting his head to the ceiling. "Bast help me." he prayed.