Chapter Two: Slow but Steady

"You know those are bad for you." Ackar let out a sigh, a trail of smoke leaving his lips from the crudely made burning stick that was clutched between his index and middle finger.

"Have to relive my stress somehow." Ackar told Berix as the said Agori leaned against the wall with the veteran Glatorian. Over his shoulders was a cloth blanket that he held tightly in his armored fingers.

"I figured with how long you've been around you'd find other ways to cope with it, besides, I've seen someone literally drop dead in the streets of Tajun because of those things." Berix told him, clutching the blanket closer as he watched with a small smile as Ackar shook his head and crushed the now extinguished stick in his hand, pocketing the debris.

While the herbs inside those sticks did help relieve stress, they were horribly nasty on any Agori and Glatorian's lungs and with enough in a frequent pattern could make them kneel over dead in minutes. Thankfully enough the only thing addicting about them was not by chemicals but by how rapidly they could relieve your stress.

Ackar sighed as he rested his forehead in his left-hand palm, "Your right, what the hell am I doing?" He asked aloud as he slumped down to the dirt ground beneath the two of them. Berix only hummed as he sat down next to Ackar. The veteran Glatorian could already hear Mata Nui's worry for him in the back of his head if he found out how deadly those sticks were and Ackar smoking them away.
The thought almost brought a smile to Ackar's lip, but it also brought him back to his reason he was stressed so bad of many. His worry for Mata Nui was a main one, as normal as it was for someone you loved, especially since his condition barely improved for a month now.

New Atera was still being built, while some holes were still in progress the Agori and Matoran who were still waiting had temporary huts made with the elemental powers of Onua, Pohatu, Nuparu and Hewkii for the quickest possible.

During that time Mata Nui's comatose form was transferred to a medical hut and almost constantly monitored by Gali, Hahli and Turaga Nokama with Kiina and some Agori medics taking their places when the three needed their rest.

Ackar would visit him the most, talking to the comatose Great Spirit about whatever came to his mind since he remembered his mother telling him how talking to someone in a coma would help wake them up. He would spend so many hours there when he had the time, he would often be woken up with either Hahli gently nudging him awake or Nokama hitting him with her staff to wake him up after dozing off from lack of proper sleep while still holding Mata Nui's hand.

Berix could easily tell how hard Ackar was hurting with his worry in the stress, anyone could with ease. Alongside the lack of proper sleep, he knew it was making it difficult for Ackar to hide the worry and stress.

He patted Ackar's arm, "He'll get better." He reassured the veteran Glatorian. "How do you know?" Ackar asked the Agori, genuinely curious. Berix just shrugged his shoulders, "Just keep hope and maybe good things will happen. It worked for me." Berix admitted a bit bluntly.

He wasn't half wrong on that one, Ackar would occasionally let Berix stay in his new home just so the kid wasn't sleeping in the streets, even having a small room for him to sleep in. Berix was slowly growing accustomed to it thankfully after being on the streets of the villages for so long. Kiina would often joke that Ackar practically adopted the Agori at this point, but it didn't bother Ackar.

Ackar gave a small chuckle while patting Berix's head, "Yeah. That's true kid." He told the Agori with a small smile gracing his lips.

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Time Skip
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Ackar carefully moved the curtain to the medical hut seeing Gali, Hahli and Nokama inside of the shift. When Turaga Nokama wasn't in the medical hut or resting, she was meeting with the other Turaga Metru and the old Bara Magna village leaders as well. They managed to find a system while Raanu and the other village leaders dealt with Agori related issues and the Turaga dealt with the Matoran related issues being used to their respective roles, while also working together to create a balance.

Near the far wall was the cot/bed Mata Nui's comatose form laid upon. He had a blanket which would either be swapped for a cleaner one for layered with more when temperatures dropped that was pulled to halfway up his waist, a makeshift pillow under his head and there were more handmade flower items such as bracelets and crowns by his bedside.

When the Nuva found Lewa, their youngest member and element wise Air warrior, he was immediately told of the news of Mata Nui's condition. At first, he hoped his fellow Toa were joking, but the looks on their faces proved a worthy answer to Lewa as he broke down sobbing in Onua's arms. That was halfway into the month since Mata Nui fell into his coma, him reviving Spherus Magna and defeating his brother Makuta. During that time when Lewa returned he'd always once a week arrive to visit Mata Nui with loads of flower crafts for him and talk to him as well.

Ackar fought sighing as he walked over to the comatose Great Spirit, being careful to not get in the way of Gali, Hahli and Nokama as he did and took a seat next to his bed.

Unconsciously Ackar took the golden bot's hand in his own, holding his arm as well while his other hand went to his mask and cradled the side of his mask.

"Hey Mata, I'm back..." Ackar spoke to the said golden bot with a soft and quiet tone. "Sorry I'm a bit late, Berix was getting onto my ass for something. You don't have to worry about it." Ackar apologized and explained to the comatose Great Spirit. Ackar continued, "Lewa made new flower crowns and bracelets for you, not surprised how good they look like always. Not much has happened since my last visit, just the usual." He spoke, his thumb tracing scratches on Mata Nui's hand. Absent-mindedly, Ackar began to rub his thumb gently against the side of Mata Nui's cheek and mask.

Ackar let out a quiet sigh as he gave a small kiss to Mata Nui's hand while he continued to stroke the said golden bot's cheek. He thought the lack of proper sleep was starting to get to him as he swore, he heard a quiet grunt mixed groan. Curiosity got the better of him as Ackar looked up and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the Great Spirit's eyes moving behind.

Ackar moving closer gained the attention of the two water Toa's and Turaga in the hut. Mata Nui's hand slowly held Ackar's own hand back in a slightly loose grip.

"A-Ackar?...." The Great Spirit's voice was rough and raw yet quiet like he struggled to find the energy to talk, but the motivation to ask if the mentioned veteran Glatorian was there was much greater.

Ackar immediately broke into a thousand-mile-wide smile hearing him talk, ignoring the shocked gasps from the three. "Yeah, yeah, it's me. I'm right here don't you worry." He reassured the golden back as he moved his hand that caressed Mata Nui's cheek to hold his hand with the other.

"I-I... I can't... Open my e-eyes..." Mata said, it was easy to hear the panic in his voice despite how quiet he sounded. Ackar immediately brought his hand back to caress the golden bot's cheek, "Hey hey, it's okay. Don't push yourself for it." Ackar soothed Mata Nui while gently rubbing his thumb against Mata's cheek.

Gali rushed over with a cup of water mixed with Bulba Berry juice to help with both his dry throat, slight hunger and a bit of energy and handed Ackar the cup. "Easy now." Ackar told Mata Nui as he carefully sat the golden bot up, using his person to support him up.

"Try to drink this." He told Mata while bringing the rim of the cup to the golden bot's lips. Mata Nui opened his mouth slightly enough that Ackar could tilt the cup into his mouth. The Great Spirit drank the liquid slowly, tasting the cut down sweetness of the Bulba Berry juice in the water that helped his energy a bit. It didn't help him much, but it made him feel less uncomfortable with how low his energy was.

On the last few sips though some of the mixture went down the wrong pipe making Mata Nui start coughing. Hahli took the cup from Ackar as the said fire Glatorian immediately began to pat Mata's back to help him. Soon Mata Nui had calmed down his coughing fit making Ackar stop patting his back and clean the water and Bulba Berry juice from his lip corners as Nokama checked Mata Nui's pulse and whatnot.

"Ho-How long?..." He asked the four around him, his voice sounding slightly better after that drink. Ackar immediately knew what he meant, "You've been out for a month now." The fire Glatorian admitted. Mata Nui gave a small and quiet chuckle, "B-Better than.... the last... c-coma..." he mused dryly making the four around him give small laughter.

Ackar gave a small kiss to Mata Nui's head, "Just fall back asleep if you're still tired. You'll be fine." He told Mata Nui. The Great Spirit smiled tiredly, "S-Stay.... With me?..." He asked Ackar who smiled a bit at that. "I'll be here. I still got a couple of more hours left." Ackar reassured him while pulling the golden bot closer.

Mata Nui's breathing slowed down as he drifted back off making Ackar smile a bit as he kept his hold on the Great Spirit.