Kanohi: Stories of a Matoran Vigilante

[Harvali]

So for the first few months of 2020 I have been posting a bunch of my short stories on BZPower, most of them connected to versions of my vigilante Fe-Matoran character “Kanohi.” Because if you are going to make a Bionicle superhero, there are worse names than “Mask.” The story concept was a Matoran who would protect his fellows, guided by visions like Vakama had in LoMN. Because I freaking love the idea of that glitch. He would never become a a Toa, if fact his Destiny would be to always be a Matoran, never to transform.

Since then I have explored a version of Kanohi over in the RPG topic, one who is a bit more of a mess than the one in these short stories. He’s a lovable mess though. He still can be a bit of a mess here, but in these stories he’s been a vigilante for at least a few centuries, he’s a bit more confident and a lot more experienced. Either way he continues to grapple around on Volo Lutu Launchers, helping the Matoran he can.

Point is, I figured I should make a little library for these short stories, in case anyone is interested in reading the adventures of Kanohi, outside of the Six Kingdoms RPGs. They are all fairly short, no epics so far, and if I do make an epic I don’t think it would involve Kanohi much, and instead would be about a version of the Toa Inika. Spoilers for one of my continuities though. Anyway, please enjoy these short stories about a Matoran vigilante trying to protect his people.

sprite made with the Danska’s Bionicle Builder sprite kit

Kanohi: Core

The Core Universe

Of Villagers, Outcasts, and Heroes: The short story that started it all, this takes place in the island of Mata-Nui, during the events of the Mask of Light movie. This short story is removed from most of that movie’s plot, just him rescuing some refugees from Ta-Koro from a Rahi. This story is canon to both the Core Universe, the Kingdom, and an alternate universe based off the vision Karzahni showed Jaller in the book Dark Destiny.

The Willing Exiles: A short story taking place post Mask of Light, in the months when the Turaga tell the legends of Metru-Nui. For some Matoran there is a disconnect with the great city, they feel no attachment to it, Mata-Nui is their home. For others, the revelations the Turaga give are almost a betrayal, as the knowledge they withheld could have helped some outcasts be less isolated. Kanohi feels both, and his bond with Turaga Vakama is damaged.

New The Tool of a Matoran a.k.a The Kanoka Project: While not necessarily taking place in the core universe of Bionicle, this story takes place in a timeline after the main storyline. Marendar and Velika both perished, but not after the Toa became extinct and every last Toa Stone was destroyed. In this new era Matoran seek new protectors, and have begun experimenting on themselves to create artificial Toa. In this time a Ga-Matoran joins an experiment to become empowered, unaware of ulterior motives behind the project. 

Kanohi: Fear

In the book Dark Destiny, Jaller witnessed a vision of a world where he did not sacrifice himself for Takua. The Chronicler was killed, the Toa Nuva were overwhelmed, and the island of Mata-Nui fell into everlasting shadow. Of course, this vision does not make sense in canon, as Teridax would not be content to rule a mere island, nor kill the Toa Nuva. So instead of adhering strictly to the vision, I used it as a springboard for a world without a Toa of Light. It is a dark age, Ta-Koro and Onu-Koro destroyed, the Turaga imprisoned, a horde of Rahkshi enforce their Master’s law, all while six false Toa encourage the Matoran to submit to the Makuta.

Of Villagers, Outcasts, and Heroes: also canon to this reality.

The Company of Cowards: In this short story thirty seven Matoran flee for the south, guided by visions Kanohi has had of another island. Among the voyagers are the Chronicler’s Company, Nuparu, and Hewkii, all hoping to find asylum from the Makuta, and hopefully allies to free Mata-Nui.

A Village Against the Rahkshi: Things have changed drastically for the Matoran, both the refugees of Mata-Nui and the hardy folk of Voya-Nui. With the Chronicler’s Company gone to fulfill two desperate destinies, the remaining Matoran find themselves under attack as six Rahkshi land on their island, searching for the escaped refugees. The Matoran of Mata-Nui only know fear from the Rahkshi, but the Voya-Nui Matoran have not been beaten yet. Kanohi joins them with his Volo Lutu Launchers in defending their village from the Rahkshi, but he strangely requests the Matoran capture and not kill the Rahkshi’s Kraata. What has he foreseen?

Those We Choose to Forget: A story taking place in a poor village of Mahri-Koro on the shores of Aqua-Magna, millennia after the Makuta’s defeat. Here Turaga Macku is swimming, when the Chronicler of Spherus-Magna comes on a visit, asking for a forgotten tale. 

Kanohi: Kingdom

The Universe of the Kingdom of the Great Spirit, the universe Takanuva visited on his journey to reach Karda-Nui.

Of Villagers, Outcasts, and Heroes: also canon to this reality.

The Willing Exiles: also canon to this reality

A Restless Freak in Paradise: A short story about a version of Kanohi in the Kingdom Of the Great Spirit, years after Takanuva visited it, but before the people all migrated off Aqua-Magna. In this era of peace, where the Toa no longer protect the Matoran what use is a near powerless vigilante.

Kanohi: Rebirth

An alternate timeline spinning off of Six Kingdoms Escapement, where a version of Kanohi in his past experiences a vision of the events of the first season of the incredible Bionicle RPG. Knowing that his homeland may be destroyed, he resolves to become a vigilante hero early, to prevent the horrible future from coming to pass.

The Impact of a Rebirth: After having a vision of a future, noted failure Kanohi resolves to help his Toa and his island as a vigilante. His first struggle? To help rescue Matoran as a fire raged in their swamp of an island. 

Kanohi: BZPRPG

Kanohi was originally created as the amnesic Fe-Matoran Dece for Act One of the BZPRPG. He was a member of Stannis’s Companions, but after the group disbanded he did not show up for almost a decade. Now as Act 3 begins much has changed, Dece is older, more paranoid, and more desperate to prove he has value. Whatever happened in the interim, he now has adopted the vigilante identity of Kanohi, grappling through Le-Wahi helping travelers and Rahi alike.

Other Stories

Interview with a Supervillain: Ultra Agents came out during my “Dark Age” but a few years ago I discovered their sets, and was enamored by their villains. Struck by how LEGO often makes their own villains, but rarely their own original superheroes, and the fact that “Tox” was a hero of sorts in the Ninjago show, I wrote this story about a former villainess running into an old adversary. It’s a little preachy, I was less subtle back then, also was in a mood, but if you want a story about a vigilante and a former ultra agent being more than a little gay, here you go.  

Edited September 13, 2021 by Harvali