Chapter Four: Forging Allies & Mending Wounds
[Author's Note at end of chapter]

"FUCK! SONUVABITCH!" "It would be nice if you would refrain from yelling so loud please." "Well you try to keep it in when your ribs are being snapped back into place!"

Kiina looked over at the two from where she sat bandaging Sapphira's arms where the bluette was being shielded from anyone seeing her injuries by Kiina's person. "Would be easier if I have you something to bite down on." She told Ackar as she placed another patch on Sapphira's arm of the many (the bluette lost count at this point) as Sapphira was just dissociating while playing with the frost at her fingertips.

Ackar gave her a pointed glare, "Zip it." He warned her. Kiina just rolled her eyes at that. "Yeah yeah your not my dad, he's six feet below the dirt." She told him as she went back to patching up Sapphira's arms, Ackar just sighed at that as he threw his shirt (he had taken it off when they came to his home after removing his chest plate for Mata Nui to heal him faster) aside.

The bluette's back would also need patching up but Kiina agreed to at least have it back at her guest hut for the time being after Ackar was healed.

Mata Nui looked up at the great walls of various shields and weapons Ackar had won over the years in the arena. Sapphira glanced up as well when she snapped back from dissociating.

"You won all of these?" He asked him in amazement, similar to a child's excitement of meeting their idol. Ackar looked at the walls and sighed as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "Yes and look what good they do me?" He asked no one in particular (maybe himself? Who knew) then sighed. "Should've packed it in long before this." He muttered then gritted his teeth when another bone snapped back into place.

"But you stayed, why?" Mata Nui asked him as Sapphira looked between the two men alongside Kiina. "Duty, pride." Ackar sighed quietly, as he looked to be picking himself apart for the answer before he continued, "But a Glatorian past his prime is no good to anyone." He said with another sigh as he looked at an old choker like necklace he then carefully placed in his lap, his mother's wedding necklace.

"To be defeated without a fight would be dishonor," Mata Nui said as he brought a hand to his Heartstone from healing Ackar, "You carry this truth inside you as do I. You are a true Toa." He praised the veteran Glatorian.

'There goes it again, reminder to ask him about that when I get the chance.' Sapphira thought to herself as she fiddled with her powers some more.

Ackar raised a brow at the golden bot. "Toa?" He and Kiina asked him in almost perfect sync, confused about what that was. "Where I come from..." Mata Nui trailed off trying to find the right words but his current memories wouldn't allow him.

"Mata Nui! Sapphira!" Immediately the three turned to the entrance as Metus suddenly arrived, a thousand mile smile across his face. "You two were brilliant! Raanu will pay anything we ask, and if you don't like this village not a problem, I can get the other village leaders to bet for you two." He said, Sapphira had to double take on what he said.

Did he seriously think two newcomers would want to do these constant fights? Sapphira wasn't an experienced fighter herself, and Mata Nui still was against the whole system not that Sapphira could blame him honestly.

Sapphira immediately waved her hands in front of her, "N-No I couldn't, I got lucky I didn't get beheaded in that fight!" Sapphira said as she denied. Mata Nui seemed to be on the same page as the bluette, "That is very kind of you, but no." Mata Nui told him, the two watching as Metus turned shocked at their answers.

"What? Do you realize what you're passing up? The life of a first Glatorian!" Metus said, sounding a bit overdramatic to the bluette and golden bot. "Oh yes, look what good it did me." Ackar chimed in making the four look at him as Sapphira stood up after Kiina finished up bandaging her arms.

SNAP

Ackar gave another yell in pain at that as Metus jumped at the snapping sound. "What in the name of the Core was that?!" Metus asked in worry. "That would be another and hopefully the last of Ackar's ribs snapping back into place." Mata Nui explained simply making Metus give him a horrified look.

A few seconds later Mata Nui pulled his hands away making the golden light disappear into nothing as he stood up. "That should do it." He told Ackar then looked at Metus. "My answer is still no." He told the Agori as he stretched his left arm over his head with the Scarabax moving to his right shoulder before he did so.

"Alright but if you change your mind-" "I will not." Mata Nui cut Metus off holding firm on his decision. "Playing hard to get, I can respect that." Metus said as he placed a hand on Mata Nui's arm when he stopped stretching then pulled it back. "But then you'll looking for me begging to come back." He added.

A very horrid choice of words from the Agori.

Mata Nui's gaze hardened at him but the Agori didn't notice as he looked at Sapphira.

"And for the lovely lady?" He asked making Sapphira gag a bit, Kiina did so overdramaticlly. "Yeah no I'm with Mata Nui your not changing my mind buster." She told him, placing her palms on her hips.

Suddenly Metus grabbed Sapphira's arm making the bluette freeze which immediately frost formed on Metus' hand making him yelp in surprise at the ice and its sudden chill from the heat of the volcanic village as he let go of Sapphira's arm while trying to shake the frost off his hand.

A very poor choice for the Agori in his actions as well. A strike two.

Mata Nui immediately brought Sapphira close to him while shielding her from Metus with his arms as he put his battle mask up with a low and almost demonic animalistic growl while his left eye turned a yellow color, faint golden embers leaving his mouth from underneath the battle mask. Kiina and Ackar were immediately at the two's sides, growling themselves while Sapphira held Mata Nui's arm in fear.

"I do not believe you should ever grab a woman like that, especially when she says no." Mata Nui said lowly, ignoring the frost forming on his arm from Sapphira's powers acting up again. The room felt unnaturally chilly as Sapphira's shadow rippled a bit as she hyperventilated a bit.

Metus looked between the two growling Glatorian's, to Mata Nui's narrowed gaze, to Sapphira who had a fearful face amongst the glares but her shadow loomed a figure in it with its hands on her shoulder and grinning a malicious grin practically begging Metus to bring on strike three to see what happened.

Metus held his hands up as he backed up and left Ackar's place of the barracks. Mata Nui looked down at Sapphira, "Are you alright Sapphira?" He asked her, watching as Sapphira tried to calm her heavy breathing while his left eye shifted back to normal slowly and he retracted his battle mask.

Ackar and Kiina looked as well as their growlings had stopped and watched as Sapphira seemingly finally noticed the frost that formed on Mata Nui's arm from her hands and immediately took her hands to clean it off. "I-I'm s-so sorry." Sapphira stuttered a panicked apology as she tried to get rid of the frost.

Mata Nui rested a hand on top of her head making Sapphira pause, "It is quite alright, a little frost never hurt anyone." He reassured her, noticing how a slight pink blush appeared on her cheeks as she lowered her hands. "I-If you say so..." She muttered quietly as she hugged her arms as shadows from underneath her cloak of royal blue hair to hide her flushed face. Mata Nui let go of her and backed up a bit to give her some space.

"So strangers, what are your plans?" Ackar asked the two as he went to pack stuff into his bag while Kiina put away her medical items. "I begin searching for a way back to my home land." Mata Nui said as Sapphira looked at her thumbs she fiddled with, a nervous habit she gained over the years along with chewing on her skin around her nails and picking at her face. "Which is?" Ackar asked him, Mata Nui rubbed the back of his neck.

"You would think it sounds crazy.." He admitted to the fire Glatorian who snorted lightly as he walked over to them. "Well no crazier than jumping into the arena, armed with only a tail and, that thing." Ackar said jestering to the Scarabax Beetle on Mata Nui's shoulder who gave a series of clicks at him making the fire Glatorian chuckle a bit.

"True..." Mata Nui hummed as Ackar went back to where his bag was. Mata Nui took a deep breath to calm whatever on edge nerves were in him, "My home is far away from here. On another world entirely." The second half of that sentence made Ackar turn and look at the golden bot who thought on his words with his limited memories.

"I was once a protector, until I lost everything to a powerful evil that has enslaved my people." Mata Nui explained as he tightened his left hand into a fist, "That is why I must find a way back." He explained as Ackar soaked in the words, which explained somewhat how he was able to turn the Vorox stinger into a sword with ease.

Sapphira stared as well surprised, which was a lot because nothing surprised her anymore especially when it came to her powers.

Before anyone could say a word though, "I knew it!" Kiina screeched suddenly as if she had just won the lottery making the three spin around to her.

"Proof! Proof of what I've been saying for years!" She yelled as if she had won something worth millions. "Kiina!" Ackar hissed a bit in a scolding father manner as he stepped closer to the woman, "This is not the place!" He scolded her but she didn't calm down one bit. "But I was right!" She yelled in his face, literally at that.

"Now you two just won me a lot of bets." She admitted happily making Mata Nui and Sapphira raise brows at that as she walked past them. "Kiina's delusional, there's no such thing as other worlds. Yeah well they prove it!" Kiina mocked the people she probably made bets with as she then yelled in joy and began to dance happily while humming in joy.

"Eh it's okay," Ackar reassured Mata Nui as the gold placed his sword back on his hip again. "While I always don't agree with her methods, such as sneaking in the shadows!" He snapped at Kiina at the end which fell on deaf ears, "As the Glatorian go, Kiina ranks. I trust her with my life, and have more than once." Ackar told him as Kiina walked past spinning her trident like a gymnast baton while singing happily 'I was right' repeatedly.

"Good to meet you Kiina, I have recently discovered what a great gift it is to find people you can truly trust." Mata Nui said as he looked at the Scarabax Beetle on his shoulder and then Sapphira who smiled up at him. Kiina stopped in front of Mata Nui when she noticed the Scarabax Beetle on his shoulder making her grimace before she looked at Ackar. "So what they're saying is true?" She asked him for confirmation as if it was almost a dream.

Ackar nodded yes at her, which the female Glatorian immediately got close to Mata Nui to inspect the Scarabax on his shoulder. "Let me guess, you call him Click?" She asked him, immediately making the Scarabax Beetle start clicking at her angrily.

Kiina immediately backed up at that, "Hey, I was just kidding." She said, surprised by that reaction. "I like it, Click it is." Mata Nui said making the Scarabax Beetle now newly named Click click happily in agreement. Kiina began to circle the two as she examined them, "Wow, real other worlders." She said in amazement before her eyes locked with Sapphira's making the two of them immediately freeze.

"Uh, Kiina?" Ackar asked the said Glatorian worryingly which fell on deaf ears. Just like when she first locked eyes with Mata Nui, the image in front of Sapphira changed to a younger version of Kiina who had a beautiful gold necklace with some gems embezzled into the pendant around her neck and was smiling away before it snapped back making the bluette blink rapidly. "D-Do I?.." Kiina asked as Sapphira held her hoodie above her heart which was pounding. "I was gonna ask the same..." Sapphira admitted as she clutched her hoodie. "What happened? You two know each other?" Ackar asked the two women who looked at him as he spoke.

"I-I think so.. it's a little fuzzy.." Kiina admitted as she put her trident on her back. Ackar raised a brow at that, "You think so? You're not positive on that?" He asked her which caused the Glatorian to deadpan at him.

"Well excuse me Ackar if it's from a part of my childhood I'd rather keep buried." She snapped at him making Ackar hold his hands up in a surrender jester. "Okay, okay.." He said, knowing well how her temper could get. Kiina looked back at Mata Nui and Sapphira, "Finally someone to convince the Agori there's someplace better than this miserable wasteland!" She said happily, which with that reasoning wasn't surprising.

"I'm not sure you would like my planet honestly, people kill each other over the stupidest and littlest things and people are literally killing the planet." Sapphira said which unfortunately fell on deaf ears. "They need help Kiina, and I owe them." Ackar told her sternly.

Kiina perked at that, "Help huh? I may have something in mind, but I'm gonna need something in return." She said making Sapphira mentally say 'Oh boy' with that last half. "I want out of this dump, you have to take me with you." She said while jabbing her index finger into Mata Nui's chest next to his Heartstone. "Kiina.." Ackar scolded the woman.

Mata Nui held his hand up stopping Ackar from continuing, "It's alright, if it's within my power I will take you with me." He told Kiina as he lowered his hand. "But the time to help my people is running out." He added, adding to his urgency. "No problem, I work fast." Kiina said happily. "What do you have in mind Kiina?" Ackar asked her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I discovered this enormous cavern underneath my village filled with ancient equipment and tools, might have something you can use." She explained to the three while moving to stand in the center of the room. "Word of warning though, don't even think about pulling a fast one on me because you're my ticket out of here." Kiina threatened making Sapphira hold her hands up at that. Mata Nui chuckled at that, "You have no need to worry about that Kiina." He reassured her making Kiina grin happily.

"Let's try to eat and rest first kid, I think all of us have had a long day and I can tell this is gonna be long." Ackar said making Sapphira sigh in relief. "You can say that again." Sapphira said as she pushed her hair back.

Kiina looked at Ackar, "First off, you got a bucket of water right? I need to hydrate my scales." She asked him. "Heh?" "I'm sorry?"

Ackar rolled his eyes at unphased by the question. "Yeah hold on let me grab one." He muttered as he walked off to another room.

Sapphira looked at her as she undid the straps to her helmet. "Your scales need hydrating?" She asked the Glatorian who smiled. "Yeah, us water tribe Agori and Glatorian loose scales in placement of fresh hydrated ones when our scales dry out for too long. It's atrocious in the desert especially when you have to clean gills." She explained as she undid the last buckle on her helmet and took it off, shaking her head to fix her hair a bit from the helmet hair.

Kiina's hair underneath her helmet was a raven black color with bright blue highlights that reached her shoulder blades, Sapphira could notice several braids in the locks of hair, she didn't want to stare for to long to count them however.

Sapphira thought on something for a second. "Is it safe to dunk my head in the water after you?" She asked her, Mata Nui looked at her incrediously. "What I need a way to cool off this heat is killing me." Sapphira told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh don't worry it's safe." She reassured Sapphira making her smile just as Ackar came back into the room carrying a bucket of water in his left hand and placed it on a stone slab table.

"All yours kid." He told her as Kiina grabbed a leather cord and fixed her hair up into a ponytail while walking over to where the bucket was.

The female Glatorian didn't even need to take a breath as she dunked her face into the bucket. Sapphira could see her gills moving as the bluette put her hair up into a messy bun with a cord of ice holding it together.

After a minute she quickly lifted her head back up with an energized 'whoo' leaving her mouth, her face dripping with water down to her armor and the floor beneath her making the droplets hiss upon contact with the volcanic rock ground.

Kiina smiled at Sapphira as she stepped aside. "Up next is Sapphira." She said overdramaticlly making the said bluette roll her eyes in dry amusement as she walked over.

"For your information Ackar I need to cool off." She told the veteran Glatorian as she placed her hands on the rock slab table. Sapphira took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing." Taking a big inhale Sapphira dunk her face in the bucket of water, some locks of royal blue hair getting in dying the water slightly.

The three watched the bluette in an anxious worry when she didn't move, then suddenly.

CRAAAAAAACK
CRACK

Ice cracking like it was being buckled under weight it couldn't handle was heard in the air making Kiina look into the bucket of what she could see.

"Uhhh there's ice forming in the bucket of water." She shared to the two. "What?!" Ackar asked in shock and disbelief as he and Mata Nui approached.

Sapphira held her left hand in a one minute jester as more ice cracking was heard. Suddenly the bluette pulled her head back so fast it was surprising how she didn't get whiplash as she breathed heavily, the water dripping down her face slowed down as it froze against her skin and cooled her down.

Kiina and Ackar poked their heads to the water in the bucket. "How in the name of all that is, did you do that?" Ackar asked the bluette as he stared at the half fozen bucket of water in shock.

Sapphira shrugged her shoulders as she pushed loose hair back out of her face. "I don't know really, all I know is that I've been able to do this since..." Sapphira paused as she made a face thinking back. "Well as long as I can remember even before my parents died actually." She admitted after a moment.

Kiina looked at her as she grabbed her helmet and loosely placed it on her head without even doing the cords. "Okay now that's taken care of were patching up your back." She said then suddenly grabbed Sapphira's wrist. "Come on." "Oh God halp!" Sapphira half joked as Kiina dragged her out of Ackar's home.

Mata Nui and Ackar stared after the two for a moment before the two males began to laugh as Ackar grabbed the bucket.

"Ow Kiina! You're gonna pull my arm from its socket!" "Stop trying to leave my grip then!" "I'm not!" "That's a horrible lie!" "KIINA!"

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Chapter Four: Another Familiar Face
End

[Author's Note: Yup more change from the OG if you've read it before this!

Also Ackar having serious dad energy
Me and one of my friends Bio were joking on Discord that Kiina, Gresh and Berix call Ackar dad more than his actual name and the times they do call him by his name it's like "what the fuck?!" because he's so used to being called dad by those three, even Mata Nui would be surprised/shocked

As mentioned before the story will have in between chapters to the actual storyline so it's longer than the ten chapters it originally was, along with added dialogue that isn't in the canon story dialogue so next chapter is one of those

Also I posted it on my Tumblr but I had the idea from the Water Tribes from Avatar The Last Air Bender of the "wedding necklaces" that go between both Agori and Matoran cultures for both engagement and wedding chokers to show of marriage, also reminiscent to the Mermaid Pendants from Stardew Valley
They basically have a symbol engraved on the pendant that represents the other partners tribe/village and at times (depending on the couple) the Toa team symbol, so if it was Mata Nui it would be the Three Viruses Symbol, the pendants also have the colors of the other partners village/tribe

Just for those curious with Ackar holding his mother's wedding pendant

August 27-28th update:
Oh hey yeah that changed as well, update of the wedding necklaces for GSR Inhabitants version it's instead a mask of the partner that is the pendant because it makes more sense tbh]

Proceed to next chapter?
[YES] [NO]