musurvivalistguide

[musurvivalistguide]

I think a scenario with the reader getting stuck in a Toa cuddle pile sounds interesting.

Or maybe Thok trying to romance reader and somehow succeeding?

In attempting to write a Toa cuddle pile (no specific team was asked for, so I went with the Toa Nuva), I ended up remembering this one post I read once about someone wanting to be "cuddled" like how cats lay across one another like a Jenga tower…and I am now convinced that Toa will pretty much drape themselves across each other just like cats will when they're comfortable or want to be warm/cozy. 😂

Also, for the descriptions of the Toa and some of the others here, I wanted to make it a bit more…primal so to speak? As in, less smooth and human-ish like in terms of how the characters were built and looking more akin to designs like this design from DA or this design on Insta. Sorta to give the impression that the MU is not exactly as we’ve seen it but still is very familiar at the same time!

Hope you enjoy the snuggles!

/////

When you first arrived in the Matoran Universe, you hadn’t been sure what to think the moment you woke up on the Island of Mata Nui surrounded by characters you’d once thought fictional. It had taken a little time for them to realize you weren’t some new agent of Makuta Teridax to lower their guard, but when they did, you found yourself unexpectedly getting approached by curious Matoran wanting to investigate the “weird fleshy being” as you’d overheard someone whisper to their friend. It wasn’t all bad though, as you’d found yourself making friends everywhere you went and enjoying what each Koro had to offer.

The island and the villages looked just as they did in the movie and games they’d featured in, though it seemed somehow…bigger than you thought it would. The most surprising thing though were the Matoran and Turaga. Compared to their movie forms, they mostly resembled how they were depicted with features and details that weren’t on their original design, making them look and feel more akin to the Atlantians from that one movie you’d seen years ago. (Meanwhile, a certain Turaga’s chest armor “design” was completely replaced by a pattern that resembled the actual water element).

The most baffling change from what you’d always seen, however, was the Toa Nuva.

Upon first meeting them, you swore they were still in their original Mata forms until Takua began to regale to you tales of their heroics against the Bohrok and Bahrag leading up to their subsequent transformation. They still possessed the silver armor, yes, but their forms were huge! With hands that ended in claw-like points—some looking far larger and beast-like than others—and armor that gleamed bright and new, you couldn’t help but realize just how…terrifying they looked compared to the more human-like forms you’d always seen. Was this what Toa normally looked like, or was it simply how the Toa Mata/Nuva were built? It was hard to imagine that such terrifyingly powerful figures would someday lose a fight against the Piraka (if the story continued as you remembered).

It was even harder imagining them being cuddly.

‘How did this happen?’ you’d thought to yourself as you wriggled your body, trying to free your arm from beneath Takua’s snoozing form. Glancing over your shoulder, you caught sight of Onua’s green eye watching you calmly before he closed it again with a deep, rumbling sigh that made your bones rattle. His arm pulled you closer like a teddy bear—just in time to avoid Pohatu’s leg nearly kicking your arm as he stretched too close for comfort. Peeking over their large frames, you couldn’t help but feel like you were experiencing a lucid dream.

The largest of the Toa—Onua and Pohatu—had formed a semi oval shape around you and Takua, their bodies shielding the two of you from the few patches of sunlight streaming through the leaves. Draped across both of them was Lewa, lithe body stretched out on his back to the point that he looked longer than his frame suggested. From this angle, you had a hard time figuring out if his head was hanging off Pohatu’s lower back or if his head was resting on the ground. To his left, you felt a cold chill as a gentle breeze swept across the Toa of Ice, Kopaka lounging against the Stone Toa’s legs. He wasn’t sleeping (so far as you could tell), though his frame was oddly the most relaxed you’d seen it.

Movement above you revealed Gali, her head resting on her arms in a makeshift pillow using Onua’s back as a prop. Even now she looked like she was meditating more than sleeping, though you wondered if this was how she normally slept. Twisting your head to the opposite side, you could see Tahu using the back of Onua’s legs as a backrest, his arms crossed over his chest as the warm sunlight slowly crept over his legs. You’d almost swear that he was keeping watch…until you noticed the very slight bob of his head every now and then. Even Jaller—the Captain of the Guard and most by the book Matoran you’ve ever met—had draped his torso over Pohatu’s neck and shoulders, his back curled against Tahu’s hip as he snored quietly.

When Takua and Jaller had convinced you to come watch the Toa Nuva train, never in a million years would you have ever expected to see the Toa Nuva behave this way. Nor did you expect Takua and Jaller to somehow pull you into this strange cuddle pile in the first place as though it were the most normal thing in the world.

‘Wait…did they plan this? Is this a prank??’ you thought, giving the two Matoran a baffled look as you wondered how they got the Toa to do this. There was nothing in the books or the games to suggest this was normal, so what was even going on???

“You should get some rest.”

Jumping at the speaker, you turned to look at Kopaka with wide eyes. No one had spoken since everyone got settled down for the cuddle pile, so to hear his voice—the tone cool yet not unkind—suddenly break the silence felt sudden. “What?” you asked.

“There’s nothing here that will hurt you,” he said, only slightly turning his head so you can see his cyan eye. “So you might as well get some rest while you’re here.

“I-I know…that nothing can hurt me here,” you admitted quietly, knowing that you and the two Matoran were probably in the safest place in the world. “I’m just a little confused right now. Why are we in a pile like this?”

He said nothing, his eye regarding you for a moment before he turned away. “Force of habit,” he said, settling down once more with a sound that you swore was a hum. “That’s all it is.”

“But-”

“Shhhh,” Onua shushed, a deep rumble rising once more from his chest as he reached up to carefully pat your head with his clawed hand. “You need the rest as much as we do, little one. We’ll talk later.”

Knowing it was futile to argue against a gentle giant with infinite patience or a stoic ice spirit who could out-silence a De-Matoran, you resigned yourself to your fate and lay your head down on Onua’s arm. Surrounded by the Toa and your friends, sleep came before you’d even realized it.

//////

When next you woke up, you found yourself back in your guest hut in Ta-Koro to the familiar sounds and gentle glow of flowing lava. How did you even get here? How long had you been asleep?? Peeking outside the window, you realized it had been long enough that day had turned to night as stars twinkled overhead and the guards rotated their next shift on the bastions.

‘What’s is even happening right now?’ you wondered, trying to remember the last time you’d slept that hard. ‘First the Toa cuddle pile, now I’m back in Ta-Koro?’

Movement nearby caught your attention, and you recognized the familiar hobbling form of the village’s Turaga. He’d been a Toa in the past, right? Even if he and the other Turaga didn’t have a mentor for most of their Toa career, he’d at least have some explanation of the oddness you’d found yourself in earlier!

Hurrying out of the hut, you quickly and quietly trotted after the elder as he ambled towards the Wall of History. “Turaga Vakama!” you called out in a loud stage whisper, trying not to wake the sleeping Matoran. “Turaga Vakama, wait!”

Wise amber-orange eyes turned to face you, a warm smile beneath his mask as he said, “Ah, you’re finally awake. I was wondering how long you’d slumber.”

“Was I really out that long?” you asked, embarrassed when he nodded in amusement. “Uh…how…did I even get back here?”

“Toa Tahu carried you back into the village,” he answered, gesturing towards a small bench as he moved to take a seat. “You were sound asleep, and no one wished to disturb your rest when you needed it.”

This caught you by surprise as you gave him a questioning look.

“You’ve been having trouble sleeping as of late, have you not?” he asked. You made to deny it, only to falter when he raised a disapproving eye ridge at you before finally nodding. “I thought as such. Even the Matoran could tell you’ve not been feeling well, so it’s no surprise that the Toa have picked up on this.”

“…I guess things have been a little rough sleep wise,” you admitted, only now realizing you didn’t feel as tired as you did earlier. “Especially since the days are longer than what I'm used to, and...I guess I've been feeling a little…homesick.”

“Ah. I can understand the sentiment,” he said reassuringly, giving your arm a gentle pat. “I’m certain we will find a way to return you to your homeland if that is what you desire.”

“Thank you, Turaga.” Pausing for a moment, you said, “Uh…this might be a strange question, but…can I ask you something?”

“What troubles you?”

You tried to think of how to ask this before finally blurting out, “Are Toa…cuddly?”

Both eye ridges shot up now, and even with a mask you could clearly see the confusion he must’ve been feeling in that moment. When he finally spoke, he sounded befuddled as he uttered, “I—excuse me?”

“T-that came out wrong,” you said quickly, feeling sheepish now. “I mean—uh…jeez, this sounds so weird, but…do the Toa Nuva always huddle up in a pile after they train? Like…leaning against each other or using each other as a makeshift bed or pillow? Is that normal Toa behavior, or is it like…some sort of team bonding exercise? Or is this just a Toa Nuva thing??”

In that moment he seemed to understand, confusion turning to amusement as he chuckled and said, “Oh, so that’s what you’re curious about. It is a form of bonding, yes. But there’s more to it than mere rest after training together. This ‘behavior’ is something that occurs even amongst Matoran—some more than others, but it’s there.”

“Wait, really??”

“Yes. I’m surprised you never picked up on this. Especially since Takua, Jaller, and Hahli have been doing the same with you, have they not?”

You thought back to the times you hung out with your friends. Sure, whenever the four of you would take a break in the shade after exploring and playing or working, the three Matoran would lean up against you or each other just relaxing. You remember the occasional moments when two would be piled on top of one or vice versa as they napped, though you had to ask them to be a little careful with their weight to avoid cutting off circulation in your legs…or your air supply. With the occasional quiet rumbles of their inner mechanics with each breath growing louder each time someone moved or if someone seemed to get restless, it was almost like they were-

“…oh,” you uttered, now recognizing the strangely cat-like behavior they’d been displaying this whole time. “So…wait, I can understand those three since they feel like siblings to me, but what about the Toa Nuva? They haven’t done that with me before until today, so what made them start now?”

“It is as I said: they sensed that you were feeling unwell, just as the rest of us have,” he said, leaning forward in his seat so he was resting against his staff. “Although they follow the Toa Code, it is a natural response for a Toa—no matter their origin—to protect that which cannot be protected. However, they also possess an instinct to comfort those who need it most, even if the recipient doesn’t realize they need comfort in the first place.”

‘That makes sense,’ you thought to yourself. Realizing something though, you said, “When I asked Toa Kopaka why we were in the cuddle pile, all he’d said was it’s a ‘force of habit’. Does that mean he didn’t even realize why they were doing this?”

“Before they became Nuva, the Toa Mata had lost all memory save their own names. Despite this though, their body still remembers what their mind cannot—and so they simply follow this instinct as it feels right to them. Granted, it is not often that they do this either due to distance or perhaps even petty squabbles…more so the latter, unfortunately. However, as I understand it, Toa Tahu and Toa Gali have not been seeing eye to eye as of late.” He turned to look you in the eyes, saying, “They set aside their differences—even if for one day—to ensure you felt safe enough to rest well.”

“They did that…for me?” you uttered.

“Indeed they did. It is not just the Matoran who worried over your wellbeing, my friend,” he said gently. “You are as much a part of this island—our world—as we are. And since you are here, it would behoove the other Turaga and I to ensure you are taken care of just as much as we take care of the Matoran.” Pushing himself to his feet, he turned to offer his hand as he asked, “Would you care to walk with me? The night is still young, and I could use the company until you’re ready for sleep again.”

Touched by his words, you nodded and accepted the gesture. As you both walked and talked, you couldn’t help but think that—though it had been quite some time since you’d arrived or seen another human and you knew the course of the story for this world—things wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe…this could be a second home to you.

A second family.

////////////////////////

Got a little sappy at the end, but I enjoyed writing this even as life got a little busy! Hope you guys got to enjoy it too~! 0v0

I’m actually working on figuring out how to write the second part of the ask (even if it was just a suggestion between the two), so bear with me as I refresh myself on how Thok actually behaves and make it work. X’D

If anyone has any other fluffy platonic or romantic stuff they wanna see, feel free to send them my way! (Fluff is my ultimate weakness and I will make it the sweetest, fluffiest fluff that has ever fluffed I can make it!)

[musurvivalistguide]

Been debating on trying to write Bionicle x Reader stuff since I used to write headcanons/category asks for them once upon a time on a multi-fandom side blog I'm not active on anymore, and you know what? Why not!

I've been wanting to write fluff stuff involving Bionicles lately, so if anyone has any scenarios/headcanons they wanna see, I'm bored and in a fluffy platonic or lovey dovey writing mood. Be sure to add any pronouns if you want something specific, but if not, I'll just default to they/them for the reader!

Depending on how inspired I get, I may write a short skit or scenario 😂

[musurvivalistguide]

Random thought that just hit me, but do you ever wonder if--during Mata Nui's travels to other worlds--he might’ve taken inspiration from the things he's seen and tried to incorporate them into the little universe inside him?

For example, let's say that Spherus Magna never experienced an Aurora Borealis. Since Mata Nui's systems control the environment and the effects in the sky, that means there wouldn't be a light show happening in the coldest places like Ko-Metru or even on the fake island disguise. All seems normal for him as he's hiding and observing the locals on a planet as usual.

Suddenly, he sees an Aurora that's so captivating that he can't help but marvel at such a natural phenomenon (even if it winds up somewhat messing with the electronic devices/systems he has). Since it's his mission to study other worlds and report back to the Great Beings, why wouldn't he want to show them such a discovery? Why wouldn't he want to share the phenomenon with his inhabitants by adding it to his system's network data to recreate the visual effects just like the stars in the sky?

Cue everyone who lives in or near freezing cold places (like the Shadowed One's species) at high altitudes freaking out when they see a rainbow of wiggly lights in the air the first time it happens and wondering what this means 😂

I dunno, it just seems like if I were a several million foot tall robot who could control an entire universe (including the stars), why wouldn't I want to incorporate something visually stunning into said universe? He created the Makuta, so what's stopping him there? :V

[musurvivalistguide]

So in my attempt to better grasp how to write the Bionicle fantasy!AU I'd brainstormed before, I decided to fiddle around with a classic case of "the Toa Metru get Isekai'd into a fantasy AU and meet fantasy versions of themselves and need to find a way home". 😂

Still working on this fic, but decided to share this little snippet I had! Will probably explore more aspects of this AU when they're on Mata Nui itself as well, but otherwise I'm gonna have fun with it. Enjoy while I continue hammering away at things/remember how to write these characters again!

//////////////////////////

“What happened to my Metru?!”

These were not the words any of the Toa Metru wished to hear, yet it was hard not to share in the confusion and worry as they looked around Le-Metru…or what appeared to be Le-Metru. All around them they saw Le-Matoran chattering as they continued their tasks, a sight that would be considered normal…save for the blatantly obvious differences. Each Matoran wore cloth or leather material over their armor, goggles and other odd accessories decorating their masks and body. Most carried normal tools the Toa recognized, yet others held weapons like daggers, bows, and short blades. Perhaps the biggest difference that unnerved them, however, were the rahi.

The strange organic beasts mixed in with the normal biomechanical ones.

“Uh…any idea what that rahi is, Whenua?” Onewa asked, pointing out the Toa-sized two-legged bird tromping by. It possessed a wickedly razor sharp beak, its wing-arms tucked close to its body yet showing just enough to reveal what looked like barbs hidden beneath the feathers. Yet strangely enough, the terrifying looking rahi seemed unbothered by the fact it was being led by a Matoran with a rope lead, carrying saddlebags and packs worth of unusual wares towards what looked like a bustling marketplace.

“Honestly? Not a clue,” came the response, though it was hard to tell if he was excited or worried as he looked around at the other creatures around them. “It looks like an organic rock raptor, but…I’ve never seen anything like it—like any of these before!”

“Great. Just great!” Throwing up his arms, Onewa said, “First, we fight a giant plant in a giant forge, and now we’re in some weird version of Le-Metru with no clue how we got here from Ta-Metru? With rahi beasts even our resident librarian hasn’t seen before? What’s next? Flying razor whales?”

A low, melodic cry echoed above them as a shadow fell over the group, looking up to see a tri-horned organic whale floating leisurely by with a large cargo-carrying platform on its back.

“……you know, when I said that, I didn’t actually mean literally.”

“This must be some illusion or trick of the Morbuzakh,” Nokama uttered. “Did the Great Disks not work?”

“No, they did what they were supposed to do. The Morbuzakh was defeated,” Vakama said, pulling out his own disk as he examined it. The disk was whole, looking just as it had when he first found it. And yet…he felt something off about the disk. The tips of his fingers tingled with energy—different than it had been during their last battle. “…something’s not right. We’re not in Metru Nui anymore—at least, not the Metru Nui we know.”

“Oh really? What was your first clue?” Onewa asked. “The fluffy rock raptor bird or the giant flying razor whale?”

“Vakama’s right,” Nuju said, surprising the others as he frowned and tapped the side of his scope. “Outside the obvious, there’s something…different about this place. My scope goes haywire every time I use it, but what I can see is that everything is…glowing.”

“Glowing?” Matau repeated, looking around in confusion. “I don’t see any bright-glow.”

“That’s because you’re not seeing it through the scope,” came the retort as the device in question clicked and whirred. “When I look at the Matoran, they appear to be glowing from within. When I look at these…these…monsters…the light is so blinding that I can barely tell them apart from a lightstone! There is no mass, just…light. It’s almost as if they were made of-“

“Magic,” Whenua rumbled, his eyes wide in either shock or disbelief.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Magic doesn’t exi-“

“No, look!” the Toa of Earth said, pointing towards a group of Matoran near the chute. “Magic!”

Surrounding a large chunk of broken protodermis, a group of Le-Matoran—with palms glowing a mysterious blue-green light—chanted unfamiliar words in unison. To their utter shock and amazement, the broken pieces rose from the ground, rising higher and higher as the Le-Matoran raised their hands palm-out. Following the path, the Toa Metru spotted another group of Le-Matoran standing on what looked like glowing disks or puffy clouds, their palms also glowing as the protodermis floated in place. The glow flickered on their palms before the structure began to mend, melding together until there was no sign that the chute had ever been broken.

“…huh…”

[musurvivalistguide]

I don't know why, but I got hit with the imagery of the Rahaga/Turaga Dume seeing this and reacting similar to how dog (and cat) owners do when the former Island of Mata Nui residents start trying the new fruit that has become available.

Norik: "Takanuva, what are you doing?"

Takanuva: *is eating a fruit and looks at Norik, feeling the Takua side not wanting to get in trouble take over and starts power walking away*

Norik: "Get back here!"

/

Iruini: *trying to help Turaga Matau when a piece of fruit gets lodged in his throat and has him in a headlock* "If you're going to eat like a rahi, stop eating large pieces you malevolent little gargoyle!!"

/

That's all I got before work, but had to share the silly imagery before I forgot 😂

So apparently on Metru-Nui, Matoran only needed to be fed with energy once a year.

It's not clear how often they need food on Mata Nui, but it seems to be a pretty regular thing since they refer to "lunch", "breakfast" etc (though how much of this is the translation convention is unclear).

That must have been a hell of an adjustment for the Turaga when they first got to the island.

[musurvivalistguide]

Oh yeah, I forgot that each island was essentially in giant domes. The official map always looked so confusing and never really showed any sense of tunnels or the fact they were in domes, so no wonder I completely forgot about that fact, nor did it click in my mind.

Thanks for the clarification on that! Still gotta figure out how he'd do it in general if he did communicate with the BoM. Visions were one thing now that I think about it, though I also find the thought of him just forming a random face in the wall to tell someone to knock it off/offer guidance just hilarious to imagine 😂

I was working on a bit of writing when something occurred to me. We know how Teridax communicated with the residents in the Matoran Universe by using the stars and telepathy (I think?). But...

How did Mata Nui communicate with the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Order of Mata Nui?

Did he communicate the exact same way Teridax did and that's how Teridax chose to do it too, or was it more or less similar to that scene from Megamind about presentation as a villain?

Or did he simply manipulate the environment around whoever he was communicating with to write messages to the intended audience? Like Helryx is working at her desk when suddenly large Matoran text appears and it's a message from Mata Nui telling her that they need to do this task? Or an impression of his face suddenly appears from the wall or on a door and starts speaking (not to mention absolutely terrifying the person by accident the first dozen times it happens)?

I think I remember reading before how he would use the stars to communicate prophesies and the like, but what would stop someone else from seeing the same stars and not figuring out something was up? How did he manage to keep it so hyper focused in one area that no one else with a telescope could see it?

Honestly, that part of the lore in how Mata Nui communicated with the others makes me wonder. How did he do it without freaking those (Matoran, Toa, and Turaga, etc) who aren't aware of this being a normal thing for the BoM or OoMN?

[musurvivalistguide]

I was working on a bit of writing when something occurred to me. We know how Teridax communicated with the residents in the Matoran Universe by using the stars and telepathy (I think?). But...

How did Mata Nui communicate with the Brotherhood of Makuta and the Order of Mata Nui?

Did he communicate the exact same way Teridax did and that's how Teridax chose to do it too, or was it more or less similar to that scene from Megamind about presentation as a villain?

Or did he simply manipulate the environment around whoever he was communicating with to write messages to the intended audience? Like Helryx is working at her desk when suddenly large Matoran text appears and it's a message from Mata Nui telling her that they need to do this task? Or an impression of his face suddenly appears from the wall or on a door and starts speaking (not to mention absolutely terrifying the person by accident the first dozen times it happens)?

I think I remember reading before how he would use the stars to communicate prophesies and the like, but what would stop someone else from seeing the same stars and not figuring out something was up? How did he manage to keep it so hyper focused in one area that no one else with a telescope could see it?

Honestly, that part of the lore in how Mata Nui communicated with the others makes me wonder. How did he do it without freaking those (Matoran, Toa, and Turaga, etc) who aren't aware of this being a normal thing for the BoM or OoMN?

[musurvivalistguide]

So I was thinking about this post again, and I think I figured out why the Mata Nui Turaga developed such a strong familial bond with their Matoran compared to any other Turaga.

When the Matoran lost their memories from their previous lives, that means they forgot everything, right? Sure, they may have some base instincts for their purpose as Matoran (or even a base instinct like Takua knowing something was wrong when Jaller's mask was broken but not knowing how to fix it), but while muscle memory could be a thing, they wouldn't remember the technical skills or other things that would be needed.

So, while Turaga are naturally inclined to guide and teach Matoran with the wisdom they'd learned from their time as Toa, the Mata Nui Turaga had to go beyond that and teach them how to do everything. Just like parents would their children, they taught them things they'd need to know to survive or how to handle various situations that would normally rely on Toa to protect them. But if a Toa wasn't around, the Matoran would need to know how to defend themselves too...right?

The Matoran were essentially blank slates that Teridax would have used to turn them into workers when he took control, but instead the Turaga were able to essentially "raise" them in ways no other has had to before during that year Teridax left them alone.

I wonder how long it took before one of the Turaga realized this felt different than just normal instruction and guidance. How long did it take Turaga Nokama to realize these weren't just her former students she was teaching again, but the makings of a maternal bond forming and seeing them as her daughters? Or for the other Turaga who thought it was natural patience and understanding to realize that the Matoran were seeking their approval or even comfort more than they remembered ever hearing others approach Turaga Dume during their time in Metru Nui?

Normal Turaga don't have to put as much time and effort into teaching their Matoran charges when said charges already know what to do. It takes time and patience to teach someone who knows nothing to ensure they can take care of themselves when the time comes, and it can be difficult to know when to let them forge their own paths and still feel like you could--or should have--done more to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead.

Of course, it probably also helps that the instincts awakened by the Hordika venom and previous experiences may have had a hand in their choices 😂 It gives me "I don't want to turn out like Turaga Dume [my parent], so I'm going to do things differently and protect the little ones even if I have to whack the threat with my staff!" sort of vibes now that I think about it (especially since no one even noticed when Dume became Teridax in the first place).

So because I'm still working on refreshing my memory on things in the Bionicle fandom, looking through the reference books is quite the treasure trove of little nuggets.

In Bionicle World, a book written to seem like Helryx is writing it based on information collected by OoMN agents, I happened to notice something in the Metru Nui chapter.

Now, according to the wiki, it's not unheard of for the characters in Bionicle to use family terms such as brother and sister. But for a species that can't reproduce, I find it interesting that this term pops up--from Helryx nonetheless!--as though they know what parents or mothers or fathers are.

This makes me wonder if--since she's the first Toa that was made--she might have learned about these terms from the Great Beings? After all, even when there's fighting going on all around them while the planet is getting ready to shatter, I'd find it hard to imagine that she hadn't noticed any Agori or Glatorian children running around or hiding (protective Toa instincts activating and the Great Beings having to stop her from rushing off to save them? 😂). Perhaps even one of the Great Beings we've heard nothing about had a kid of their own and had to do what they could to keep them safe from the fight by bringing them along!

I certainly have memories of when I'd go to work with my parents, so it's not hard to imagine this happening. But if Helryx understands this concept and the family terms are in their programming...would everyone else in the Matoran Universe have any comparison to understand what paternal means, or would they attribute it similarly to how Turaga (specifically the Mata Nui Turaga since we know them best) would treat and protect their villagers?

Would Toa develop a similar role/pattern of behavior as their Turaga, and it's like the Matoran have two sets of parental figures? Or would it be a clash of "Toa, can I do this?" "Ask the Turaga." "Turaga, can I-" "No." ?

And would Makuta refer to themselves as the mother/father of the krataa they create from their bodies, or would they refer to themselves as their creator? Considering that Teridax literally calls his krataa/rahkshi his "sons", it feels like a term he'd just throw around even though he literally commanded a horde of them to die to Sentrakh in Time Trap. >.>

I dunno, it's late, and my brain is getting tired 😂 Would love to hear a second opinion or two, though!

[musurvivalistguide]

Omg yes yes yes to both of these!!! I can just imagine Nuju being the most reluctant to even do the dance, even if he's being dragged by the scruff by his brother or Kualus to learn (why did I just picture it like that bit where a mama cat is still carrying their now adult kitten despite them dragging along the ground?) 😂

...Turaga Vakama just gets the angriest glare from Nuju when he's recounting their Hordika arc, while everyone else is trying to imagine him even doing it in the first place. 🤣

Okay, hear me out.

When the Rahaga were first learning how to do what they could to save rahi from the Visorak (and likely in general), they had to have learned quite a lot from failing before figuring out the techniques that work best. Best example: Kualus learning how to do birdspeak. But...

What if they developed a secret "hunting" technique?

Imagine this: the Toa Hordika helping the Rahaga as they're also trying to figure things out before Vakama's betrayal. They come across a rahi that's hiding in a spot that would get exposed or destroyed by the Visorak, and it refuses to come out even with their best techniques. One of the Rahaga suggests using "the secret hunting technique", and the Toa Hordika watch in fascination and confusion as whichever Rahaga volunteers to perform it...

And it becomes the goofiest dance they've ever seen. They can't believe anyone would even dance so strangely on purpose. Worse yet, they can't even believe it's even working! How is this working?!

Whenua is now questioning how this technique has the effect it does on rahi, and I would not be surprised if he didn't try to learn how to do it himself!

...Matau totally got hypnotized by the dance as well, tell me not 😂

(Inspiration for this random idea came from this Amphibia scene here.)

[musurvivalistguide]

Okay, hear me out.

When the Rahaga were first learning how to do what they could to save rahi from the Visorak (and likely in general), they had to have learned quite a lot from failing before figuring out the techniques that work best. Best example: Kualus learning how to do birdspeak. But...

What if they developed a secret "hunting" technique?

Imagine this: the Toa Hordika helping the Rahaga as they're also trying to figure things out before Vakama's betrayal. They come across a rahi that's hiding in a spot that would get exposed or destroyed by the Visorak, and it refuses to come out even with their best techniques. One of the Rahaga suggests using "the secret hunting technique", and the Toa Hordika watch in fascination and confusion as whichever Rahaga volunteers to perform it...

And it becomes the goofiest dance they've ever seen. They can't believe anyone would even dance so strangely on purpose. Worse yet, they can't even believe it's even working! How is this working?!

Whenua is now questioning how this technique has the effect it does on rahi, and I would not be surprised if he didn't try to learn how to do it himself!

...Matau totally got hypnotized by the dance as well, tell me not 😂

(Inspiration for this random idea came from this Amphibia scene here.)

[musurvivalistguide]

Can you imagine how the residents of the Matoran Universe reacted once they learned about eggs and the fact that birds, reptiles, and even insects can come from said eggs?

I know it's been mentioned before about them discovering and finding out about this (I forget the post or where I saw it), but I'm gonna add a step:

Imagine any of them finding an abandoned egg or an egg that somehow survived an attack by an animal hunting for food, and the closest Glatorian/Agori explains to them that if it's still viable, the egg will need help hatching. This teenie, tiny, itty-bitty lil' egg...being cared for by biomechanical beings who have large hands and heavy feet who have no clue how eggs work or why they have to keep rotating the egg in the makeshift nest near a heat stone every so often.

Now picture an egg chase around the village as the Matoran/Toa responsible for the egg have to save it from getting crushed or worse in increasingly wacky and hilarious situations where it somehow lands safely and the chase continues on.

Have I been daydreaming about said egg-cellent shenanigans and the idea of Matoran/Toa/Turaga bonding with a tiny birb they collectively raised to adulthood and getting emotional over it leaving the figurative/literal nest? Yes. Yes I have.

Am I debating writing said daydreams into a silly fic? Yes I am.

Is this inspired by that age-old classroom partner project where you have to take care of an egg? Not initially, but still a valid thought!

Am I imagining Takanuva being absolutely terrified of handling the tiny egg/baby bird (this tiny little ball of limbs and feathers no bigger than his thumb) and just standing still as a statue with it in his hands since he's bigger than normal Toa? Oh absolutely 😂

[musurvivalistguide]

Oh yeah, I vaguely remember reading that in the books before now that you mention it! I also remember there was a young ash bear that the Toa Metru healed, and if memory serves, the bear was considered young. From what I read though, even if they appeared "grown" (aka not kitten or cub sized like we know it...we never really get an idea of how big they are when first created en mass), they were still smaller than the true adults of the species. It would make sense that one or more would take on the role or behavior of a parent teaching the young how to survive!

Now that I think about it, the fact that rahi pack bond with one another just like Whenua pack bonded with Pewku really does feel more like a hordika thing. At least if we go by the behavior you mentioned! Sure, Toa and Matoran and perhaps even Turaga may sometimes work together with other species, but generally speaking, they feel less inclined to seek companionship outside their group/if they were hired for a particular job...at least, so far as we know from what's been written.

I have to wonder now though: since the Toa Hagah became Rahaga, did it allow them to reach a better understanding of rahi than others because they hid and formed a connection similar to how the hordika pack bonded? In that case, would it be subconscious instinct built into their programming, or would it be a learned instinct/habit that they learned over time versus the hordika's instinct?

So because I'm still working on refreshing my memory on things in the Bionicle fandom, looking through the reference books is quite the treasure trove of little nuggets.

In Bionicle World, a book written to seem like Helryx is writing it based on information collected by OoMN agents, I happened to notice something in the Metru Nui chapter.

Now, according to the wiki, it's not unheard of for the characters in Bionicle to use family terms such as brother and sister. But for a species that can't reproduce, I find it interesting that this term pops up--from Helryx nonetheless!--as though they know what parents or mothers or fathers are.

This makes me wonder if--since she's the first Toa that was made--she might have learned about these terms from the Great Beings? After all, even when there's fighting going on all around them while the planet is getting ready to shatter, I'd find it hard to imagine that she hadn't noticed any Agori or Glatorian children running around or hiding (protective Toa instincts activating and the Great Beings having to stop her from rushing off to save them? 😂). Perhaps even one of the Great Beings we've heard nothing about had a kid of their own and had to do what they could to keep them safe from the fight by bringing them along!

I certainly have memories of when I'd go to work with my parents, so it's not hard to imagine this happening. But if Helryx understands this concept and the family terms are in their programming...would everyone else in the Matoran Universe have any comparison to understand what paternal means, or would they attribute it similarly to how Turaga (specifically the Mata Nui Turaga since we know them best) would treat and protect their villagers?

Would Toa develop a similar role/pattern of behavior as their Turaga, and it's like the Matoran have two sets of parental figures? Or would it be a clash of "Toa, can I do this?" "Ask the Turaga." "Turaga, can I-" "No." ?

And would Makuta refer to themselves as the mother/father of the krataa they create from their bodies, or would they refer to themselves as their creator? Considering that Teridax literally calls his krataa/rahkshi his "sons", it feels like a term he'd just throw around even though he literally commanded a horde of them to die to Sentrakh in Time Trap. >.>

I dunno, it's late, and my brain is getting tired 😂 Would love to hear a second opinion or two, though!

[musurvivalistguide]

@jamster-wheel

So I did quite a bit of digging on that as well during my refresh spree, and no, rahi don't reproduce. According to the wiki (and I believe Greg had answered this question as well in an Ask Greg forum), once an initial rahi is created, the Makuta activate a protocol that allows the virus used to create them to create a certain number of rahi to be released into the world.

Of course, that's what's said canon wise.

However, the pack mentality is quite possibly the most primal instinct even we humans have, so it wouldn't surprise me that the rahi--and by extension hordika--would have developed it too. Given that if the timeline we have to go off of is right, the Toa Metru were hordika for quite a while and their instincts would have kicked in such as the nest making Matau did (he's never gonna live that one down, is he? 😂), or as others have stated with Whenua bonding with Pewku.

I just love that no matter how long its been, there are still ways to theorize and try to understand how Bionicle works 🤣

So because I'm still working on refreshing my memory on things in the Bionicle fandom, looking through the reference books is quite the treasure trove of little nuggets.

In Bionicle World, a book written to seem like Helryx is writing it based on information collected by OoMN agents, I happened to notice something in the Metru Nui chapter.

Now, according to the wiki, it's not unheard of for the characters in Bionicle to use family terms such as brother and sister. But for a species that can't reproduce, I find it interesting that this term pops up--from Helryx nonetheless!--as though they know what parents or mothers or fathers are.

This makes me wonder if--since she's the first Toa that was made--she might have learned about these terms from the Great Beings? After all, even when there's fighting going on all around them while the planet is getting ready to shatter, I'd find it hard to imagine that she hadn't noticed any Agori or Glatorian children running around or hiding (protective Toa instincts activating and the Great Beings having to stop her from rushing off to save them? 😂). Perhaps even one of the Great Beings we've heard nothing about had a kid of their own and had to do what they could to keep them safe from the fight by bringing them along!

I certainly have memories of when I'd go to work with my parents, so it's not hard to imagine this happening. But if Helryx understands this concept and the family terms are in their programming...would everyone else in the Matoran Universe have any comparison to understand what paternal means, or would they attribute it similarly to how Turaga (specifically the Mata Nui Turaga since we know them best) would treat and protect their villagers?

Would Toa develop a similar role/pattern of behavior as their Turaga, and it's like the Matoran have two sets of parental figures? Or would it be a clash of "Toa, can I do this?" "Ask the Turaga." "Turaga, can I-" "No." ?

And would Makuta refer to themselves as the mother/father of the krataa they create from their bodies, or would they refer to themselves as their creator? Considering that Teridax literally calls his krataa/rahkshi his "sons", it feels like a term he'd just throw around even though he literally commanded a horde of them to die to Sentrakh in Time Trap. >.>

I dunno, it's late, and my brain is getting tired 😂 Would love to hear a second opinion or two, though!

[musurvivalistguide]

So because I'm still working on refreshing my memory on things in the Bionicle fandom, looking through the reference books is quite the treasure trove of little nuggets.

In Bionicle World, a book written to seem like Helryx is writing it based on information collected by OoMN agents, I happened to notice something in the Metru Nui chapter.

Now, according to the wiki, it's not unheard of for the characters in Bionicle to use family terms such as brother and sister. But for a species that can't reproduce, I find it interesting that this term pops up--from Helryx nonetheless!--as though they know what parents or mothers or fathers are.

This makes me wonder if--since she's the first Toa that was made--she might have learned about these terms from the Great Beings? After all, even when there's fighting going on all around them while the planet is getting ready to shatter, I'd find it hard to imagine that she hadn't noticed any Agori or Glatorian children running around or hiding (protective Toa instincts activating and the Great Beings having to stop her from rushing off to save them? 😂). Perhaps even one of the Great Beings we've heard nothing about had a kid of their own and had to do what they could to keep them safe from the fight by bringing them along!

I certainly have memories of when I'd go to work with my parents, so it's not hard to imagine this happening. But if Helryx understands this concept and the family terms are in their programming...would everyone else in the Matoran Universe have any comparison to understand what paternal means, or would they attribute it similarly to how Turaga (specifically the Mata Nui Turaga since we know them best) would treat and protect their villagers?

Would Toa develop a similar role/pattern of behavior as their Turaga, and it's like the Matoran have two sets of parental figures? Or would it be a clash of "Toa, can I do this?" "Ask the Turaga." "Turaga, can I-" "No." ?

And would Makuta refer to themselves as the mother/father of the krataa they create from their bodies, or would they refer to themselves as their creator? Considering that Teridax literally calls his krataa/rahkshi his "sons", it feels like a term he'd just throw around even though he literally commanded a horde of them to die to Sentrakh in Time Trap. >.>

I dunno, it's late, and my brain is getting tired 😂 Would love to hear a second opinion or two, though!

[musurvivalistguide]

When I read the indignant squeaking part, all I could think of was the desert rain frog war cry 😂

Desert rain frog video because who can resist such a cute sound????

Matau Hordika: *-angrily squeaks and squeals like a dog toy-*

Norik: "Though the sound may be adorable, this is a sonorous war cry...of a very angry hordika."

Matau Hordika: "Beeeee!"

Norik: "...ferocious."

Another embarrassing fact of Matau’s Hordika form: Having the same pent up rage as everybody else but no claws or fangs or anything even vaguely intimidating to express it with. Vakama snarls at him and he attempts to respond in kind, but instead it comes out as a indignant high pitched squeaking noise. It’s just not FAiR.

Matau's main defense mechanisms are 1) Limb Fall Off and 2) Skittering. It's SO embarrassing and it sucks SO bad. Like yes technically he's a predator like the others but he predates, like. Bugs. Worms.

His bite is worse than his bark, though, because he absolutely will just chomp down on someone. Did he bite Vakama at least once? Probably. Did it work out in his favour? Definitely not.

[musurvivalistguide]

Bionicle: Dungeons and Shadows (Fantasy AU) Worldbuilding Thoughts

Because I have no self-control when it comes to the plot bunnies that bite me, here’s a brain dump of ideas for a Fantasy AU inspired by the various Isekai manga/anime I’ve watched and various tabletop games. If anyone has any ideas to contribute to this AU or help flesh it out more or have any questions that'll help me think on how to develop it better, I’d love to hear it!

Also, if it feels like it’s all over the place, blame the fact that I wrote all this on a Monday when my brain was fried from work and I didn’t want to lose the thoughts I had. Things are bound to change the next time I look at this idea. 😂

In this AU, Mata Nui is considered a deity, but is actually a Titan created by the Great Beings. The Great Beings are a pantheon of mortals known as Glatorian who rose to godhood status, though they prefer not to trifle with petty squabbles and focus on creating. Another name to refer to the Great Beings is “the Divines”.

Energized protodermis is a great source of magic that transformed Spherus Magna, imbuing organic and inorganic materials with powerful magic. These very materials were used to create the beings of the Matoran Universe, with many non-Toa possessing the capability to perform magic to varying degrees. (Note: Conjurer may or may not possess actual magic and may be using an enchanted weapon in this AU, though he claims he does like in the Prime Universe)

Toa—alongside their element—can either learn magic to augment their natural element or may learn other classes of magic to increase the range of their capabilities. Typically some classes are chosen based on a Toa’s element, such as a Toa of Plantlife choosing the druid class specialty while a Toa of Water chooses the cleric or priest class or a Toa of Stone chooses the paladin class. However, it’s not unheard of for a Toa to choose a different class outside their typical range, such as a Toa of Fire learning the druid class while a Toa of Water learns the barbarian/destructive “warlock” class. *cough*JallerandHahli*cough*

Note: Undecided if the warlock class would actually involve summoning demons or if demons would even be a thing in the Matoran Universe’s AU here. If demons are a thing, it’s possible that they may closely resemble the concept of the Skakdi myth Irnakk, or they may be more monstrous. Again, up for debate and may focus more on the destructive capabilities. The summoning aspect of being a warlock may only be for those who prefer subservient pawns like the Shadowed One/anyone from the Makuta species.

Aside from rahi that were created by the Makuta, monsters also exist in this AU that take on quite a few familiar concepts that we’re familiar with in MMORPGs or typical isekai stories. These monsters were not created by the Makuta nor the Great Beings, but were formed by the amount of magic that was stored and built up by the Mata Nui robot as he traveled the galaxy. Some places possess more magic than others, noted by many inhabitants to make the air “heavy and dense yet charged like an impending storm”.

To a degree, these monsters are more “organic” than their rahi and Matoran neighbors, being creatures made of pure magic or “energy” given mass. (The complete opposite of the Makuta species now that I think about it!)

Compared to the Prime Universe, the Toa Code’s “no kill” rule is more lax on a case-by-case basis. For particularly problematic monsters that can’t be captured or deterred, a Toa may destroy its form and release the magic back into the environment. After a while, the creature will return and it will be like a blank slate from which the residents of the nearest village/city may deter them from repeating past aggressive behaviors. If too many monsters are in one area, a dungeon will form until someone conquers it and claims the treasure hidden within.

Dungeons in the Bionicle Universe’s AU are unique in that they come in two forms: natural and unnatural. Natural dungeons are places that are a natural part of the environment that anyone can enter and train or harvest materials from within, while unnatural ones are those formed by the density of magic of monster hordes congregating in one space. For example, Metru Nui’s districts each have one or two natural dungeons spread across each Metru, with Matoran being able to venture in and harvest materials to craft with or study the formations. Higher level dungeons reset their maps after a certain period of time has passed, while lower leveled dungeons meant for Matoran remain the same. The number of floors each dungeon possesses varies based on the danger levels and the quality of treasures or materials that can be harvested within.

When an unnatural dungeon forms, it creates a “dungeon master” that must be defeated in order to dispel it or make it “safe” for Matoran to enter. The more floors a dungeon has as noted by the number of stars outside the entrance of each floor (ie: 1 star equals 4 floors, 7 stars equals 28+ floors. Considering how often the number “seven” seems to follow chaos or darkness in the Bionicle Universe, I think it’s safe to say that seven stars means this dungeon is going to be very dangerous!). The higher ranking the dungeon, the more Toa are required to complete the dungeon, but the greater the reward and materials to be found and brought back, including Great Kanohi and powerful enchanted artifacts and weapons.

Random musing: should the dungeon master be transformed from the Toa Mata’s Great Masks/Toa Metru’s Great Kanoka Disks? Or should they just be intelligent monsters that are simply guarding the them as treasure?

Time magic does exist in this AU, but it is incredibly difficult to learn or wield even for a Makuta, leading many to believe it’s near impossible. Typically this magic can only be found within dungeons, used in traps or by boss monsters. Very, very few beings outside the dungeons (such as Voporak) can utilize it in some form or another, but not very well. Vakama is the only notable Toa who learned to wield it, which initially began as visions when he was a Matoran and became an unlocked ability after he became a Toa. He was initially limited to being able to rewind time by a few seconds at a time (think Prince of Persia and the Sands of Time), though using this too often will drain his mana faster than normal spells and runs the risk of suffering from mana drainage and possibly dying. He keeps this in reserve as a last resort, but he cannot alter specific instances that are unavoidable (such as Turaga Lhikan's death).

The Mask of Time is a legendary item that must be crafted, and wearing it will grant others mastery over time or act as a focus for those with time magic. Note that Vakama only uses it as a last resort to avoid damaging the timelines.

Monster parts can be used to forge equipment or enhance armor and weapons for Toa, the quality needing to be higher and higher as they progress and face stronger monsters and beings. Depending on the type of monster, these materials can grant enhancements to a Toa’s abilities such as increasing their speed or strength—though nowhere near the same extent as a Pakari or a Kakama.

Vakama was well known as a Matoran for being able to craft weapons and armor for Toa. When he became a Toa himself, the others relied on him to upgrade their armor and weapons using the materials they farmed from dungeons. Unlike crafting regular tools and masks from protodermis or disks, monster materials require a special technique that follows a certain rhythm, meaning Vakama (and any other Matoran crafter) must sing songs to keep time with each hammer strike. (Inspiration comes from this song here, which inspired this whole AU idea).

[musurvivalistguide]

Something that bothered me the other day when I was trying to sleep (before remembering today) is: how do the Toa actually know specifically what their destiny is, and how do they know they've completed their destiny in the first place?

It would be a fair and possibly safe assumption that the Toa from any part of the Matoran Universe are destined to protect the Matoran/those who cannot defend themselves. That's great and all, but...at what point do they feel they've achieved this? For the Toa Metru, it was fairly easy to know because the sacrifice of their powers helped revive the Matoran and what would eventually lead to the Toa Mata to arrive on the island via Toa Stones.

But not every Toa--or Toa Team for that matter--is going to have some grand event happen then decide, "I have fulfilled my duties and now pass this on to the next generation" or just keep going as a Toa for several thousand years or so longer...right?

So who actually tells them what their destiny is and who decides when they've completed their duty? Is it the OoMN again guided by the will of Mata Nui? Probably not considering how many Toa there would have to be to keep track of, and it's not like they wouldn't let a Toa or Matoran die if it didn't serve somehow to keep Mata Nui on track.

And even if they had completed their destiny, who is to say they don't decide they wish to continue and claim it as their duty even if there are potentially new Toa recruits who can take their place?

Or what if they become so world-weary that they just don't want to be a Toa anymore? Would they be able to give their power away so they can become a Turaga, or would the effect not take place because their inner programming (if that's what's dictating this) won't allow it?