Storyteller

Honestly, I didn't watch Christy Hui's original post; I heard about it from friends. I haven't yet figured out whether this is a continuation of the original story or a soft reboot, like with Chronicles, because Chronicles was released in this form due to rights issues with the characters and some attributes. These issues still exist, judging by the fact that Dojo has changed colors again. Now we have a traffic light Dojo, my dears.I don't expect anything on the level of Showdown, given the current trends in animated projects, especially those with a long-standing concept. Showdown doesn't so much need a sequel as it does a spinoff or a prequel. Its plot is complete, but questions remain. The first thing that comes to mind is Omi's origin. Many characters weren't revealed or developed (lol, Chase was one of the few who got a semi-solo episode, hanging around in a blue shirt). I'd be interested to know why Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay decided to become Xiaolin monks and break away from their normal lives. I'd love to learn more about the structure of Xiaolin Showdowns—Dashi and Wuya were part of the first one, so they probably laid the groundwork. It would be nice to learn more about all of that. But I wouldn't mind a good story, like in the good old days, where the monks slowly develop and overcome difficulties.

Скажем так, я вернулась к своим историческим корням, а точнее к тому, чем я занималась несколько лет назад - переводу песен. Как видите, я на поприще переводчика уже давно, но, к сожалению, с того времени ничего не сохранилось :(

Мне ужасно нравится Nod-Krai Main Theme, однако в сети очень мало реально годных русских каверов на него. Английских нет вообще. Поэтому я написала собственный перевод и, возможно, в будущем сделаю клип с ним. Но не кавер. Мне такое спеть не по силам. В общем, наслаждайтесь ;)

О луна, любимая песнь,

Не бросай во тьме меня.

Птенчики, несите мне весть

Из стен золотого града.

Мне поведайте Родины горести,

Чтобы мы пролили слёзы по ней.

Не горюют ли о своей участи

Братья-сёстры на загубленной земле?

Когда мы счастье снова познаем

и затянутся раны?

Отчего землица родная

вся покрыта бурьяном?

О луна, госпожа, ответь же,

Где искать в мире нам свет твой нежный?

На сей тёмный край глаз возложи -

Сгинула правда в пропасти лжи.

О луна, по какой же тропе

Проведёт нас к надежде твой свет?

Лучше встретить гибель во тьме,

Чем их лживых речей блеск воспеть.

Мы не станем петь тягостных песен,

Хоть душевный чертог горю тесен,

Но слезам не отвадить беду

И мечтам дом родной не вернуть.

Град золотой пал жертвой огня.

Обесчестив, сковали её.

Но воскреснет из праха она

И домой воротит свой народ.

Почему вы скорбите?

О ком вы скорбите?

Почему тоскуете?

О ком тоскуете?

О луна, вновь владения осмотри,

(О луна, пусть мучителен наш удел,)

Словно голубь, в полночь раскинув крыло,

(Пусть боль и стыд терзают сердца,)

И лазурной волной скверну смой с земли -

(Но взойдёт Госпожа, чтобы прогремел)

Всё во имя тех, кто верит и кто ждёт.

(Хор наших душ, дождавшихся конца.)

О луна, молю, взойди,

невинна и чиста.

И с тобой мы изгоним

всё зло и всю печаль.

Пусть под светом луны оживёт земля!

I'm talking about Chase again, because I feel like I don't really love him enough. I've been thinking about him a lot lately, so I won't have a specific thesis today, but I want to turn to fanfiction again and discuss his character.

The starting point was the dialogue between Chase and Li Hua from the third chapter of "Dress to Impress." You and I remember that Chase was simply distracting the kitsune at that moment, but if you dig deeper, you'll realize that this plot element is incredibly important. I remember skipping it the first time I read it, which led me to think of Li Hua as an impulsive and vengeful character, which was disappointing. That's true, but let's thank her for giving us lore and food for thought.

You see, I know every episode with Chase by heart, and at least half of his important lines, and he's one of the few characters whose past we've seen. Omi was unlucky in this regard. But some gaps and plot inconsistencies remain. For example, why do Chase and Guan still have roughly the same level of strength as warriors (hell, they fought for three days straight, but the next time their fight lasted only a few minutes, and Chase was defeated... okay, that's just a plot device)? Hannibal didn't give him significant power; he simply pulled him to the side where he had no competition, so no one could outshine him. And what's the point? Was it worth the loss of your soul? And remember that Chase somehow opened a portal to the Ying-Yang world without the necessary Wu, or someone else did it, even though only Hannibal's bird can do that. Overall, there are problems, but the fanfic patches some of them quite well.

Before reading it, I thought Hannibal wasn't really aiming to create a powerful ally with whom he could share the reins of power and to whom he could impart his knowledge, as Chase himself did. Hannibal could easily have done this simply to aggrandize himself and cement his image as a tempter and demon capable of breaking even monks, in order to obtain this "eternal soul" or the good part of Chase's Qi. In the same situation with Omi, the balance of the world was shaken, so it made sense. Plus, Hannibal himself is weak, he needs hands that would bring destruction and fear. I can't overestimate the effectiveness of Lao Mang Lone soup - in my opinion, the price is simply not comparable to its effect. Selling his soul for an easy path to power and madness? Chase will ultimately follow the difficult path of self-improvement, as we will find out later.

(By the way, why the hell does the soup just turn you into a mindless monster the first time, but then return you to human form the next time? Either Chase tweaked the recipe, or there's a missing Reversing Mirror effect somewhere that hadn't yet manifested itself, or there's a script error.)

What does Li Hua say to Chase? "Either way, you were his favorite little pet project, weren't you?" This fits perfectly with everything I just told you. Chase was humiliated, trampled into the dirt, and shown that this can happen to anyone. Good is not invincible, and Hannibal is a dangerous and cunning opponent. The true Heylin followers laughed at the thought of a former monk becoming the head of their food chain. But for Hannibal, spending years trying to help Chase regain consciousness was a fatal mistake. He underestimated him. He probably wanted the young man to simply depend on him and be controllable.

Let's remember what Guan became in the alternate future, where he was turned to the Dark Side. This is how Chase could have remained if he hadn't started working on himself. He literally says that he had to rebuild himself from scratch and, moreover, betray Hannibal in order to move on. I think he did it not only because he wanted to get rid of a competitor, and not only to establish himself as a more cunning and dangerous villain. At that moment, Chase hardly thought about this. His first task was to emerge from Hannibal's shadow and take revenge on him for everything. Sounds plausible, I believe it.

It's ironic that Chase follows in Hannibal's footsteps, but does everything in his own way. Raise an army, stripping every warrior of their personality and turning them into animals? Sure, but only after a fair fight, not by deception (haha, sorry, Omi, not this time). Sway the monk to your side and use him for your own ends? No problem, but he specifically could retain his identity, and even seriously offer to rule together. Omi is special, and Chase treats him that way. Of course, he deceives him, but before that he builds a trusting relationship with him and confronts him with the fact that evil is closer than he thinks. Such a convenient truth that allows Omi to later accept the negative aspects of herself and not be afraid of them.

Interestingly, it's precisely in the battle against his former comrade that Chase makes a different demand. Not "You will become part of my army," but "I will take your weapon, and I will only return it if you bring me a dragon." Watch my hands. Chase literally demands that Guan compromise his principles for the sake of weapons. Hannibal demanded that Chase sacrifice his principles for power. Chase is treating his friend as he was treated. Acts as the one he hates did. Perhaps he still considers Guan a traitor who wanted to overshadow him (though it's strange that he still believes the fairy tales that scoundrel Hannibal fed him), so he decides to humiliate his honor and dignity.

But what if it wasn't about the dragon or the desire for revenge? Deep down, Chase might have hoped that Guan wouldn't agree to this condition. After all, no one told us that bringing the dragon was a condition for defeat—as far as I understood, the condition was giving up the weapon, and returning it was optional. Why, you ask? Because Chase wanted to believe that Guan was principled, that he was different from most people, that he deserved respect. Only such a person could claim to eclipse him, because in Chase's eyes, he looked better than the version of himself from the past, deceived by Hannibal. Chase would have to sort out his past, one way or another. But Guan didn't live up to his faith. That's why Chase doesn't even bother to show his face and tells him, "Go away and never come back." This isn't just pride—it's contempt. We're shown Guan as an ambiguous character, and it's no surprise that he, too, defected to the Heylin under Hannibal's influence.

And you know who doesn't deserve contempt? Omi! And it's not just his abilities. He restored Guan's faith in himself and his principles, which earned him his weapon. He puts first not material goods or ephemeral things like power, but the lives of his family and friends. He's so principled that even after gaining an advantage through dishonest means, he's not willing to use it—because he gave his word. Words have real power in this world, especially for monks. Incidentally, it seems time to remember Grandmaster Dashi, who most likely founded this system. He's Chase's only true master. Not Hannibal, not anyone else. My headcanon is that Dashi was older than both Guan and Chase, and taught them a lot.

And Ninja, of course. There are so many reasons to respect him. Well, besides the fact that he almost killed a child by mistake. Luckily, Chase doesn't know that yet :)

I'd like to conclude my thoughts where I planned to begin. Chase has two interesting traits: pride and a desire to annoy others. He simply bullies both Hannibal and Li Hua, which is a good way to gain control of the situation and hide his weaknesses. Sometimes he seems like a difficult teenager who just wants to rage-bite someone. It's so funny. I just described my complex vision of this character, after which I'll summarize with the most obvious fact about him. DtI is my favorite fanfic; it gave me so many impressions and images that can be developed.

Although wait, I need to finish by telling you my schizo-theory. Do you remember the Heylin Eclipse? It's a solar eclipse, when the Moon's shadow falls on Earth. And you know what I associate Chase with? Earth. It's so symbolic that he becomes weaker during the Heylin Eclipse. Because for him, being in the shadows is weakness.

Don't worry, I have something to say about our Asian Princess, too. My thoughts are still fresh, fresher than bread in my shop, but I think I can explain them. But I can't help but mention Ninja at every opportunity, as he serves so well as both a counter-example and a mirror image.

The thesis goes something like this: despite all the tragedy of Ninja's character, he still found peace. And Chase, for all his feigned lightness and cynicism, has promising tragic potential. The obvious is incredible! Okay, jokes aside – it's not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Perhaps I'll start with their canonical development paths: it's interesting that the arcs of the First Ninja and Chase Young echo the themes of the future.

Ninja's arc speaks to the idea that we are the architects of our own destiny – and the importance of legacy. He was fortunate to witness all his efforts and struggles pay off in the future, to find his calling as a mentor to future Ninja, and to meet Randy—a worthy successor, albeit not perfect, who has every chance of making his dream come true (which is precisely what happened at the end of rc9gn, when Randy healed and defeated the Sorcerer). Ultimately, to immortalize the memory of his dear family in Nomicon, which is more in line with his personal desires. I think there's a certain peace in this. All his life's goals are fulfilled, Norrisville is thriving, the clan has at least remained intact somewhere, he can catch up on his life's sleep—what more could he want?

And even though he has no place in a bright future, he has finished his life's journey with dignity.

Chase's arc, in turn, shows that sometimes a bright future requires sacrifices that leave us without a place in it. In total, we were presented with two character developments:

1) Chase takes personal ambition to the extreme and, as a result, turns to evil. BUUUUT Chase does several significant things to preserve the world: he imprisons Hannibal in the Ying-Yang World (getting rid of a rival/terrible threat to the entire world) and remains principled, in a sense limiting the threat posed by himself. Why did this happen? I have a few guesses.

~ Chase follows the concept of "the strongest will wins." Willpower must be nurtured, for example, through hardship. Chase has personal ambitions, like any other villain, but he despises other villains for their weakness of spirit and for choosing the easy way to achieve their goals (like Shen Gong Wu). If Chase, with such a philosophy, wants to become the strongest warrior in the world, then it's logical that he'll take a more difficult path—direct physical development, deals, a code of honor. He'll become the strongest, first and foremost, in his own eyes. And, of course, this will fuel his pride and make immortality a little sweeter.

~ Chase understands what he's getting into and can't simply accept it. He's depriving himself of his humanity, but in exchange, he sets a condition for himself: maintaining/developing his integrity. He doesn't want to completely lose himself on the path to his goal and realizes he still has a long way to go, so he's in no rush. Forgive me, but a sane person can't calmly pay with their soul, because that would be a crime against themselves.

Be that as it may, this leads me to believe that Chase Young values ​​individuality and freedom. His individuality manifests itself in his integrity, his rejection of the ideas of the factions he belonged to, and his disdain for those willing to lose themselves for their own goals or ideas. His freedom manifests itself in his conscious choice of methods and lifestyle, and his independence from the opinions of others. Chase doesn't become a "bridge" between good and evil. Chase uses the advantages of good and evil to further his personal and physical development.

2) Omi prevented the deal between Chase and Hannibal, and now there is no one to stop the latter. In a world ruled by evil, Chase becomes the last bastion of good and completely renounces personal ambitions in favor of serving others. Essentially, he follows the path of Ninja (this is what makes their images mirror each other; this gives us the opportunity to speculate that they could have followed each other's paths, which is already the basis for a Reverse AU). When Omi offers a glimmer of hope for a better future, Chase sacrifices himself for this chance, knowing full well that he will become an outcast and unable to live in this bright future. He makes the ultimate sacrifice for others.

From this, it becomes clear that regardless of the path he chooses, Chase will end up with the same fate—to be a villain. As he himself said in the second path, this may not be the future he wants, but the one that must exist for the greater good. Moreover, Chase creates a bright future, but there is no place for him in it. He is an outcast, doomed to eternal wandering and the impossibility of finding peace.

This fundamental difference between the characters' fates allows us to view their sacrifices differently.

This is something to keep in mind as you watch Chase take everything he can from life. It's not just "wanting for the sake of wanting," but a search for happiness and one's place in the world, an attempt to fill a void in one's soul. As the scale of life and opportunities grow, so do personal ambitions, to the point of being impossible to satisfy. When you're immortal, you can set any goal, but once you achieve it, you have no choice but to set a new one or live without a goal at all. And, of course, Chase was probably surprised that he was defeated by a man with a rather "modest" list of goals and an attitude toward life. That's because the devil is in the details, and strength can be achieved in many ways.

Ninja is the very embodiment of the concept of "strength through will." His life is one of deprivation and humility. The mask, which serves as his instrument of power, embodies his impersonality and devotion to duty, the very essence of Ninja as a protector and the symbol of the city. By rejecting his identity, the doubts and torments associated with it, through devotion to an idea, Ninja achieved the point where he was able to defeat Chase in their first battle (if we're considering SW), and to develop an unbreakable will.

Chase, by contrast, doesn't burden himself with an idea or duty to any factions. The only limitations he imposes on himself are those that satisfy himself. All his efforts are aimed at preserving his individuality, freedom, and control over his life. But this is precisely why he has isolated himself from both good and evil. No one can share his fate.

All materials for analysis belong to drawnfamiliarfaces. You must be familiar with them to understand all the nonsense I have described.

After the release of "Blizzard of the Heart," I was itching to discuss Ninja again. That's the kind of person I am – I love drawing Chase and discussing Ninja (lol, I appreciate both outer and inner beauty). And my favorite topic is Ninja's attitude toward life and death. It was touched upon directly in the aforementioned fanfic, more than once, so I wanted to expand on it.

Actually, I didn't plan to expand beyond the scope of this fanfic, or beyond MIS fanfics in general. But a roof without a foundation, or the tip of an iceberg without an underwater part – strange, right?

So, in "Blizzard of the Heart," there are three key scenes for this theme. And in all three, Chase questions Ninja's actions.

The first is when Ninja explains why he left his post. It's the most important of all, because it shows how negative experiences allow one to see things from a different perspective. Death is a loss for many people, but it's inevitable, and Ninja is capable of feeling relief for someone destined to pass away peacefully, as his brothers weren't so fortunate. Chase seems a little confused and blurts out obvious things like "you seem to respect her" and "so she's very special," but once he hears that the Elder allowed him to meet Ninja, he's filled with respect and gratitude.

The second is the encounter with the wolf. Animals lack social institutions like friends and family, and natural selection is merciless, so sick and old individuals eventually separate from the pack and die painfully alone. Nature as a whole doesn't care how animals die, unlike Ninja, who operates according to the principles of highly organized beings (humans)—with ideas about fate, purpose, and the like. Chase doesn't understand why he should interfere with the natural order of things—and that's not surprising, because who better than Chase understands how insignificant a single life is in the grand scheme of things, and how insignificant a lifetime is in the grand scheme of evolution?

The third scene is Ninja's direct attempt to rekindle the fire. The sight of Chase involuntarily alarms him, even though he knows perfectly well that Chase is immortal and won't perish from the cold. Ninja can't leave him in this pitiful state and does more than he should. And this again raises questions for Chase.

So, the first and second scenes are united by Ninja's belief that every living being deserves a peaceful and painless death. For him, it's equally monstrous and unnatural to die in battle with the Sorcerer as a human, and to die of hunger or disease as an animal—alone and suffering. Of course, fulfilling one's destiny is important, even if it's a purely human concept. The second and third scenes are united by Ninja's conscious influence on a situation that doesn't require it, for personal reasons. The first and third scenes are united by their depiction of Ninja's valuing of life, how the premonition of death unsettles him, and how important he is to not leave those close to it alone. And in general, he doesn't want to let anyone suffer if he can prevent it (which is reflected in the FW fanfics, where Ninja took care of Omi and Jack, thus relieving Chase of some of the responsibility for them).

Let's move on. Ninja will treat people based on how they impact his area of ​​responsibility. The yokai led by Li Hua posed a threat to both his people and himself—he killed many without hesitation (regardless of his regard for life) and caused Li Hua to experience similar suffering to him—the pain of destroying the place he built and the loss of loved ones. If she hadn't encroached on Ninja's area of ​​responsibility, things might have ended less bloody for her—at least Chase Young would have caught on too late. But Li Hua's feelings are as irrelevant as the lives of the youkai—they're all evil and have no chance of redemption.

Who has them? Sorcerer and Sorceress. The problem is, it's hard to help someone who turned your life into a fucking hellish roller coaster, even if you've long accepted your destiny—to dedicate your entire life to fighting evil for your people. But the death of your family? Unforgivable. And so it is that Ninja thirsts for revenge against those who themselves fell victim to Chaos, and this must evoke conflicting feelings within him. When you, like no one else, know that people turned into monsters can be saved, but you can't overcome your hatred for them and, more importantly, you lack the resources to come to the best solution—you lock Sorcerer in a dank pit for eight centuries. It's cruel, but that's how things actually happen, not how they're supposed to.

Chase is a unique case, no doubt about it. There was even a post about Ninja searching for a way to cure Chase (without asking his opinion). Chase didn't violate his area of responsibility, although Ninja is constantly afraid of this (remember, literally the first thing he asked Plop-Plop after the battle was what happened to the village). Even if Ninja can't trust him, he respects him as a warrior with honor and as a person. He even shows concern, which, yes, wouldn't ultimately have any effect, but it's what he can do.

By the way, about the thirst for destruction. Have you ever wondered where Ninja gets it from? Maybe it's expected, but it bothered me for a long time, and here's what I've come to. There are two reasons: a thirst for revenge, connected to the violation of both his area of ​​responsibility and his family (because the approach of death in battle sobered him up and provoked a violent reaction), and the resulting Chaos. Ninja had been in contact with Chaos his entire life, and then he was mentally traumatized, and under such circumstances, it would be strange if a little Chaos hadn't settled in his heart. And Chaos is the most aggressive embodiment of the thirst for destruction, and I doubt Ninja had the mask from the very beginning or could have completely protected him from systematic contact with Chaos. The scariest thing is that he most likely understands this - and Chase too, which could play some role in the future.

I've already mentioned the connection between Ninja and Tengu. Tengu are messengers of death, and they share quite a few similarities with Ninja. Interestingly, they're essentially neutral yokai.

How many conclusions can we draw from this? It seems prosaic and well-known: Ninja and Chase aren't good and evil, but a clash of interests; Ninja doesn't want others to suffer, but will fight for his values; Ninja values ​​the lives of others. Nothing new. I just find incredible pleasure in piecing together his character based on new situations that test his views. I want to believe I'm seeing something more, maybe even the whole picture. This is why I think Ninja is such a great character—he's endlessly debatable, especially if he's portrayed well.

@automaticwinnerpeach I'm waiting for your wonderful fanfic ;)

For some reason, I had a feeling of déjà vu, as if you or someone else had already drawn art for your fanfic. Don't judge me, but with my forgetfulness, I could have imagined anything 😅

Встретимся ли мы снова

Там, за поворотом круга?

Мы с тобой одной крови,

Отражения друг друга,

На двоих одно сердце,

Девять королевских судеб -

И бесшумные звери,

И бесстрашные люди,

Кто же ты, мой брат, где же ты, мой друг,

Кто же ты, моя любовь?

Приветствую, @man-of-tfworlds. В этом году я стала твоим The Secret Ninja. Надеюсь, у тебя нет аллергии на традиционные арты без фонов

Я удивилась, когда поняла, что мы уже знакомы. Я слежу за твоим творчеством на VK, Telegram и Wattpad, так что можно сказать, что звёзды сошлись.

Учитывая твою любовь к Геншину, не буду скрывать, при рисовании Мацуды я ловила вайбы вот этих чуваков (тем более, что я сама играю в игры от hoyo):

К сожалению, у меня не получилось соответствовать запросу, но я постаралась сделать арт Мацуды в полный рост с небольшим редизайном. Не уверена, что правильно уловила все детали из референсов. Рисовать киборгов мне ещё не доводилось, но это было занятно (честно, я бы на неё передёрнула ).

He has no permanent appearance. He usually doesn't even use it for communication (clan members, especially mages, sense his presence from a great distance, and he can literally enter someone's mind; he communicates with others very rarely, for example, if someone summons him). But he can appear as a tall, dark silhouette (in the real world) or take the form of someone he knows (in Nomicon or in a person's subconscious) - most often, this is Naomi, whose soul has become the core of Nomicon. She is a red-haired girl of average height, with green eyes and long temple robes. However, if you have trouble imagining a huge man appearing in the form of a young woman, don't worry, it doesn't really matter.

Generally, the Patron can be identified by their eyes - whether they have possessed someone or taken someone's form or not - their eyes will be red and diamond-shaped. But that's if he even chooses a form with eyes, because he's an ancient troll and can even pretend to be a tree :D

He's not cold, but he longs for warmth.

He's forever chained to the earth.

Слезные брызги соленых вод,

Рев ледяных валов.

Время проходит под ровный счет

Морем сказанных слов.

Гулки удары о грудь земли,

Рушат хрупкие сны.

И не видны в водяной пыли

Крылья моей весны.

И может, земля похоронит нас,

А может быть - и вода.

Если уходишь из дома на час,

Прощайся, как навсегда...

("Навсегда" - Скади)

And yes, we are sad because mortals are mortal. And because Chase, at the end of time, will be hanging in a wasteland where there is not a soul, like Raistlin Majere after becoming a god. Can he create? Can he save anyone?...

I tried to draw snow. Lots of snow. And then it became clear to me that the process had taken a wrong turn, and in general, I don’t know how to draw backgrounds.

When your sibling understands everything well...

A while back, I asked myself, "What would happen if we combined MIS and LS?" Ashiro would have a new phobia 🥲

And there's also a very high probability of a two-on-one fight... (Chase doesn't mind at all)

...and a year later they tell each other about their travers.

Там, у третьего порога,

За широкою ступенью

Верно шёлковые камни.

Бьётся надвое дорога, слышишь?

Правый путь ведёт на пристань,

Путь окружный – в горы, к югу.

Но на свете нет дороги,

Чтобы нас вела друг к другу...

("Дороги" - Мельница)

What I draw when I say I'm not an artist: